Tears of the horizon
by K.Alex
Summary: Four years has passed since Syaoran and Sakura last saw each other. But Sakura learns that there is a new evil out there and it's up to both of them to stop it. But will Syaoran confess his feelings or keep them to himself?
1. Capturing a new card

Tears of the Horizon

Capturing a new Card

"Ah! I'm late again!" Card Captor Sakura of age 15, daughter of Fujitaka Kinomoto woke up to a horizon of a new day. Still, the young Card Mistress would arrive late to her educational seminars, school.

"Good morning onni-chan!" Running, Sakura greeted her brother Touya. A young man in his early adult ages. As usual downstairs, sitting, legs crossed, reading the newspaper. "Kaijou! Breakfast!"

"Gah!" Kinomoto Sakura stuffed a hot steamy muffin in her mouth while putting her roller blades. "Buh Toooyyahh! She muffled through the muffin between her jaws. The sun had risen, waking from the horizon itís bed, it ray's stretching out from it's deep slumber. Ferocious leaves whirling about.

"I'm here!" Sakura announced out of breath once she entered the classroom. Her legs all wobbly from roller blading.

"Wow Sakura-chan I believe your 10 seconds earlier!" Tomoyo declared, her best friend since elementary maybe even longer. Her vibrating violet eyes enlightened by the sight of her dearest friend.

"Uh Tomoyo-chan...you count?"Sakura scratched her head sheepishly.

Tomoyo smiled. "Of course anything to see my dearest Cherry Blossoms."

"Hey Sakura-san I noticed your a bit early today" A familiar male voice tickled Sakura's ear.

"Ohayo Darius-kun! I thought it was you. Having a good morning?"

"Your appearance has in fact replaced the essence that no coffee could ever compete with. "he complimented.

"Hoe? What does that mean?"

Darius laughed heartily. There was somethings of Sakura that could soften anyoneís heart. Her complete innocence astonished him. Darius Toshiwa was a tall fifteen year old teenager soon to be sixteen right before Sakuraís birthday. His dark, black eyelashes outlined his pale, crystal blue eyes. His tousled-like hair camouflaged with the midnight sky. And his smile? His smile was incredible with natural colored, full lips. Calling anyone to kiss them while touching his cinnamon colored skin. Something of Darius made Sakura think of Eriol, former Clow Reed. Though it had never occurred to her, never crossed her mind if Darius had any magical abilities. His shoulders were broad and muscular, you could tell everything about him was perfect. The perfect model. Someone has once mentioned that Darius had an amazing body. Of course Sakura had never seen it. She'd known Darius just mid year of last year. He was always nice to her very polite and courteous. He also made her laugh, had a great sense of humor. Darius was just a regular guy. Probably one of her best guy friends ever since Syaoran left. He'd told her that he was born and raised in Japan then moved Egypt at the age of ten. His Egyptian mother took Darius with her but now that Darius got older he returned to Japan.

Meanwhile back in Hong Kong

"Syaoran!" A red-amber eyed girl shouted from the footsteps of a small shrine. Her eyes fixed upon a determined young chestnut haired boy.

Deeply concentrated in his martial arts training, looking backwards, he faced the young fifteen year old. "What is it Meilin?" he questioned.

"You have to say please." Meilin teased. Making him impatient.

"Meilin..." Syaoran warned, glaring at his cousin through the reflection of his sword.

"Alright..Uncle is calling for you. It's urgent" she finally informed, defeated.

"Ah. The chosen one has arrived" The Great Uncle stated.

Syaoran bowed " I hear you asked for me."

"And so I have. Congratulations you have been assigned by the other elders and mother to find everything you can about the Egyptian Clow cards, as in research, knowing our enemy and aid the Mistress in maintaining stability in the real world. You won't be leaving until a month or so."

"What! There are other cards?"Syaoran raised his voice in disbelief. Other cards?

"Ahem let me proceed. Clow Reed had locked them away centuries ago but some how it seems that they have taken a form out of the cards. Your mission is to assure a secure environment. We cannot risk the magical world to interfere with the real one. You will NOT be distracted and will return immediately when called, understood?"

"Yes uncle I'll do what I must."

Back in Japan

"Sakura-chan!" Called out Tomoyo running from behind. "I'm sorry I can't walk with you today I have choir practice"

"I'll go watch you then." Sakura offered.

"I wish but there are enough students and the Sensie doesn't want more"

Sakura lowered her head in disappointment. "I will see you tomorrow then."

"Bye Sakura-chan" Tomoyo waved.

She walked by the pavement, her shoes dragging abandoned cherry blossom petals across the street. Petals which gave her a tint of remembrance as to something long forgotten. _Syaoran. _Did he ever think of her though? It had been so hard all these years. Like it had been only a dream.A dream long forgotten and awakened from.

WHOOSH "Who's there?" Funny. She thought, it was as if she had felt magic. Another presence was close by.

"Okay come out!" Sakura swiftly kicked the bushes where the noise seemed to come from.

"Oww!" From the bushes Darius came out with a twig in his hair.

"Huh Darius-kun? What where you doing there?" What was he doing here?

As if reading her mind he responded. "I was looking for my chain which my mother gave me before she past away. It should be around here somewhere. I saw you and I didn't mean to scare you so I kept quiet."

"Hoe?I'm sorry you need help looking for it? Sakura's suspicions deceased knowing of Darius' dead mother. Something she could relate to. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw something move behind some foreign bushes. An animal perhaps? No, more like magic.

It was inevitable to hide her secret in front of Darius. The only choice she had was to hide somewhere. There were many trees far off a few blocks. "Wait I'll come back"

Leaving Darius speechless, Sakura went to expose her staff. She recited the words to transform the staff but it didn't work. "Hmm there's only one thing left to do. I have to telepathically talk to Kero-chan."

Being much older now her magic grew too. There were many techniques and new ways she adapted her magic. One was telepathy. At first it was hard. She would hear voices every where she went. If there was one thing more fearful than facing other magical forces was the mind of humans. To be able to focus her mind on one person seemed like a never ending obstacle. Thankfully she got to control it, with one disadvantage. She could only connect minds with those who she shared a connection. A deep memory or scar. In magic you lose something to gain something else.

"KERO?" her mind contacted him.

"Hmm... huh? What is it Sakura?" he responded. Too busy playing video games as usual.

"Something's going on over here at the park. I sense magic but my staff doesn't transform." she explained a bit worried.

"You sure you didn't forget the words I mean it could have slipped. Never mind. What sort of aura was it?"

"Humid, old, something ancient but strong. Sort of basement smell." she replied.

"Sakura, so you remember when you had to change the chant a bit when you had to change the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards?" Kero reminded.

"Yes I had to seal it under a different contract." she recalled.

"The magic creature or item can be either claimed by someone or be unclaimed there for needs to be renamed by an owner and so creating a new contract."

"That makes sense." Sakura thought.

Trying to come up with something, Sakura put her hands tight around the staff. "All right. A new contract"

Some how when she felt the magic of the creature it felt very moistly and humid. Like if it were something sandy, distantly recognizable.

"That's it! All right better work this time." she hoped

"The key that holds the power of the stars.Reveal your true form to me.  
I, Sakura, commands thee under convent.  
Release!"

The key grew bigger just like Sakura remembered seeing it. A smile developed at the thought of Tomoyo making new costumes for her. What kind of costumes would she make now as an older designer and having an older model? Quickly she sent out The Sleep card. " I have to get back"

She arrived at the same spot where she had sense some magic. Darius was no where in sight. He probably had to go home. Ancient Spirits show yourself. _Whoosh_. A cat like creature came out. Almond-shaped eyes that were flashing emerald green targeted her. It's fur was light gray, jewelry earrings pierced on it's ears, an emerald necklace coming down it's neck. _Whoosh_. It kept appearing and disappearing. It was such a cute feline though strange. No one would notice it's magic. And no one would think that sharp thin rays would come from her eyes.

"Ah! Nice kitty." Sakura scanned cards through her head. "Fly" she called. Out of her back huge angelic wings appeared. She had forgotten the tingling sensation she hadn't felt for such a long time. "Okay I can at least dodged it but what can I use?"

Sakura tried dodging but she wasn't fast enough to dodge the last ray shot at her. She closed her eyes tight. Soon enough she would feel the rocks smash into her body. Crushing into her every being. She would soon feel the pain in her whole body.

Hong Kong

"Sakura!" Syaoran bolted up. He had fallen asleep while booking a plane ticket. Sakura would be all right, he hoped. She always found a way. But still he now knew he had to go back to Japan immediately. What he saw in his dream looked like an ancient feline and foreign magic probably from Egypt. Syaoran started to write a letter. Quickly he packed his things, sneaked into his mother's room and left the letter of farewell on top of her drawer. Taking his mother's credit card he knew it was stealing but he had no other choice. " I guess it's time to say goodbye to this place." He smiled wistfully but then that smile turned into a frown. Right in front of him was his not so happy uncle. "Your going back aren't you?"

Syaoran looked away. " I have to she's in danger and I must protect her. I can also find out more about what's going on."

"I know. But heed my warning. Go there and protect her but don't fall in love with her. You know that we elders can predict the future and trust me your future is not to be with her. Go to Japan once more and help her collect the new cards after all she is the Card Mistress. The fate of the world depends of her. As soon as that is over you must return. Understood?"

"Yes uncle" And with that Li Syaoran left. He closed his eyes, in his mind the image of Sakura fall into the arms of another guy appeared. "I vow that I will protect you Card Mistress but I cannot and will not fall in love with you."

Back in Japan Sakura opened her eyes surprised to feel her body unharmed. A pair of strong arms were holding her. The minute she looked up a wave of nervousness rushed into her head. "Darius I can explain."(referring to the wings)

"There is nothing you have to explain Sakura-san. I know what's going on. Luckily I came in time. " He quickly explained for the time being. He rapidly summoned his chain out. The one he had lost a few minutes ago.

"Key that hides the ancient secrets. Show your true identity I Darius, command you under the contract. Release!"

Sakura, baffled stared at Darius while he set her down on the floor. She didn't know that Darius also had magic. "Sakura are you all right? It's not the right time to dose off."

"Yes, I'm fine thanks to you. I just can't believe it." She felt her head all wobbly. She saw Darius's staff. It was very black and midnight blue, a blue quarter moon with a silver star in the middle. There was some kind of dark blue aura orbiting it. Sakura looked at him while he smiled at her. All her insides melted like butter again. Darius focused on the Egyptian cat. "Irtiu Khet!" his staff pointed at the cat and created a burning blue flame around it. 

"Now Sakura you must seal it!"

"Spirits of the ancient world I Sakura your mistress command you, be sealed! Sakura card!"  
The ancient cat was warped into the form of a card falling into the hands of Darius.

"The Mau " he read. "Its one of the cats of Egypt, but why did it appear here? Even though this Mau looks different than the rest." 

"Don't ask me but answer this." A determined Sakura faced him, "why didn't you tell me that you were a magician?"

"I... um .. Sakura..I" ashamed, he looked away. "I will explain everything in time. For now get some rest you must save your energy after today. " He took her hand and gave her the card. "You should let Kero see this." It was like her other cards but this card had the hieroglyphics on the back. The same star as usual but also an eye and a pyramid. The colors of the card was dark pink with sandy color edges. Why did everyone seem to know everything about her yet she barely knew anything about them.

"So your trying to say that you captured The Mau?" Kero looked at the card more carefully.

"That's what I have been trying to tell you for the past five minutes." Sakura laid back on her bed. "I think that the whole Card captor stuff is going to start all over again". Maybe there was even a chance to see Syaoran again. "Im still confused Darius-kun didn't even explain to me what's going on I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow." With that thought in mind she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Dream State

Sakura was running through an endless hall full of hieroglyphics. Patterns of art which she could not understand. In front of her there was a girl kneeling down sobbing like a child. Sakura recognized a familiar item in the female's hand. A staff, as Darius'. The girl stopped crying and she looked up with angry eyes. "You will pay Clow Reed!" She screamed and everything warped into pitch black.

"Sakura?" Who's squeaky voice is that?She wondered.

"Mmm am I dead?"

"No silly" Kero said in a suave way. "But you are late to school!" he screamed at her this time. It was like he was the alarm clock that talked and could fly to bad it wasn't available in stores.

"Hoe! I'm late!" Boom! Her legs had tangled with the covers before she could get up.

Down stairs Toya heard a loud bang. "Looks like the kaijou woke up this morning" He murmured and continued to drink his juice.

"It feels weird to be back here. Who would have thought that four years have passed." Syaoran sighed "Good thing I came after a week school started. I haven't missed much work." He looked at his old apartment. It was all dusty as if no one had occupied it. Looking at his wrist watch he checked the time.. "Shoot I'm late!"

"Ten more seconds left!" Sakura ran as fast as she could. There is only one thing to do. She took out her staff. "Jump!" Luckily no one saw her, her feet landed right in front of the school steps.

"Im not late heh!" Sakura shouted as she entered the class room. Being louder than usual.

"Sakura-chan you better sit down fast." Tomoyo whispered.

"Good morning class!"

"Good morning Sensie!" the class greeted formally.

"Before we begin I would like to present a new student transferred student from Hong Kong. Please welcome  
Li Syaoran."

"Whoa! Look at that guy!" A girl squealed.

"Don't you think he's cute" Another chattered.

To see if her ears had defied her at Syaoran's name Sakura looked up, surprised to see a handsome teenager. Though she still saw traces of the once twelve year old boy she last saw. His chestnut hair and profound amber eyes were the same she remembered from long ago. He had grown in height, shoulders more broad and he looked stronger, probably more Li-clan training again. She wanted to run and embrace him after not hearing from him for so long. All together she secretly hoped that he would still be the same Syaoran she had grown fond of. The one who was there for her, the one who protected her at all times. The Syaoran who had told her he had feelings for her before he departed to Hong Kong.

"Please sit behind Mr. Toshiwa." The Sensie directed him.

Syaoran passed Sakura without even looking at her. Hurt of being unnoticed Sakura continued her class work without question. Through the corner of Syaoran eyes he spotted an individual different from the rest. Toshiwa could hide it well but Syaoran could sense a hint of magic coming from him. Something of him reminded him of the bastard Eriol. Tomoyo looked sideways at Syaoran. Also a bit surprised. But it was typical of him to come back after what happened yesterday.

That afternoon Tomoyo caught up to Sakura and Darius. "Sakura-chan wait up!" Tomoyo called.

"Hey Tomoyo-chan. I thought I wouldn't be seeing you today." Sakura said, her eyes away from Tomoyo's.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan? Is it Syaoran? Shouldn't you be overwhelmed that he came back." She comforted. 

"I am. But during class he seemed to ignore me not even greet me. Could it be that he did not notice me?" Sakura asked more to herself than to her best friend.

"Well ask him he's approaching us right now."Tomoyo observed.

"Syaoran..."Sakura whispered afraid to get any closer to him. How much she wanted to just throw herself to him but she refrained herself from doing so. Syaoran remained passive. Didn't look at her with love neither hate, "I'm so glad your back, I thought I would never see you again." she continued.

Syaoran looked at her tentatively. How much had she changed since the last time he had saw her. It was so hard for him to say something when the girl he had once _loved _had grown into such a mature girl. She had grown out her childish body. Her hair longer than that short auburn hair she use to have. Her green emerald eyes sparkled like precious gems. And when he had heard her voice. It was as if an angel spoke of marvelous joy. Why hadn't he stayed in Japan? Everything about their childhood started to reappear as if memories from another reincarnated life time were put back into his memory.  
But even though he remembered, his duty, his honor to the clan was more important. He did not want to fall in love with her. All his emotion has to be shut, impossible for her to distract him. He only wanted to help avoid more danger. To protect the highly known Mistress would bring honor.

"How have you been all these years? I mean you never wrote not even once but I guess you were really busy training. So what brings you to Tomoeda after all these years?" Sakura continued to mumble nervously.

"The new dark magic surrounding this area. There is a great mystery and I must help maintain the equilibrium of magic and reality. And protect the Card Mistress. As of clan's duty protecting you would bring family honor." Syaoran responded, his voice not changing tones of displeasure or otherwise.

"Oh." That's all Sakura could say in disappointed. So he came for his family duty not to see her. Had his feelings changed after all? Although it pained her she would always treat him as a friend.

Tomoyo stood by not wanting to interrupt anything. Somehow right behind her Darius appeared looking concerned for Sakura.

"Whatís wrong? Darius asked concerned. By now he had grown to know when Sakura was upset even when she hid it. 

"Nothing!"Sakura jumped to see Darius next to her. She smiled brightly hiding her disappointment. 'This is Li Syaoran from our class remember? I've known him since I was ten or so."

"He isn't causing you any trouble is he?" Darius clutched his hands into fists ready to start a fight.

Now that she thought about it Darius and Syaoran seemed the same in stature. And body strength.

"I can easily defeat you if your looking for a fight." Syaoran bluntly stated.

"Try me, all for the sake of Sakura!"

Syaoran got mad of him talking like he were someone so important. Who was he to tell him what to do. He had enough of the Li clan ordering him. Li threw a punch at Toshiwa right at his lips. If Darius were an ordinary guy he would have fallen at that punch but it barely moved him and he just touched the blood coming out of his lip. Syaoran saw how he hadn't stirred and was ready to throw another punch, then Sakura interfered.

"Get out of the way this is our problem." Gritted Li through his teeth.

"Stop it both of you!" Sakura was going to use magic to stop them but thought it was unnecessary to waste it. She turned to Syaoran and smiled. "Even if your reason hurts me, I'm just glad to have an ally, a friend by my side."

"I hope that you have it straight in your mind that a lot has changed I'm only here because of business."

These words stabbed Sakura right through her. "So then were both in this because of duty." Not knowing who to focus her attention to, she looked at Darius who the whole time had been looking at Syaoran. Then she looked at the person next to her. Sakura sweat dropped.

"Tomoyo I thought you were over your video taping days."

"I know but since you told me that you captured a card yesterday I thought it may be necessary to bring a video camera. Look it's water proof and it's smaller so it' more handy. Leave it to my mother to give me the most recent gadgets."

"Oh Tomoyo." Sakura giggled forgetting the incident not to long ago. "Wait a second. Darius-kun you didn't tell me what was going on yesterday neither did you explain why you never told us that you have magic."

"Uh...well.." Darius trailed off trying to avoid being interrogated.

So the person who Sakura had fallen into was Toshiwa all along. "Let me see the card" Syaoran demanded.

Sakura checked her pocket. She found the card and handed it to Syaoran. When she did their hands brushed. Just feeling his hand made her whole body tingle. Noticing this Darius spoke up.

"I wish to explain everything to you Sakura but not at the time being. You must wait patiently."

"Okay Darius-kun I'll wait." Sakura answered excitedly. Darius smiled at her and grabbed her hand. "I'm glad that you understand."

"Ho ho! Syaoran your going to rip the card if you keep on clutching it." Tomoyo said. Syaoran stated that things have changed which disappointed Tomoyo a bit. But she now noticed that Syaoran hadn't changed a bit. He had the same affection when Eriol would compliment Sakura. Jealousy perhaps? Rivalry? One thing is saying something and another is feeling otherwise. Or believing to think otherwise.

There would be many exciting things for her to film this year.

Onni-chan: Japanese for brother, Kaijou: monster

Alex-Yes I edited my first chapter. Sorry for those who are discontent I didn't change much to not change the plot of the story. I'm planning to edit all my chapters since I've written this so long ago and hadn't put the time to look it over. Wow it's been so long right? I remember starting to write this story when I was twelve or so. It's been so long. Couldn't have done it without the readers who continue to read and motivating me with their reviews. Thank you so much for your support and reviews! Well I did start chapter nine almost finishing it but I think I should also edit all my chapters before continuing the story. Thanks to all. Hope you keep reading and enjoying the story. By the way I'm going to post some drawings from this fanfiction on my site.

you want to ask me anything just do so. I love reading and responding to what people want to know. :)   



	2. Not a love story

Chapter 2.

Getting to know each other

Ieran Li had just finished taking her bath. Meanwhile she was in the shower a thought came in her mind. Her only son was falling in the most deepest pit and she couldn't help him out.

"Silly thoughts." She said. She reached for her comb. Instead she felt her purse. "I didn't leave you here..."she referred to her check book. Her credit card was missingw

"What!!!!???"

"Aunt Ieran are you okay?" Meilin asked popping in front of her. It's rare for a composed person as her aunt to scream.

"Syaoran left to Japan." Ieran stated being more composed now.

"What?" Meilin waited for an answer.

"He could have waited a month until preparations were ready but he had to be irrational and leave immediately."

But why would Syaoran leave? She remembered how many times he had tried to leave to Japan to at least visit but the Elders wouldn't let him. They said it would only distract him with his training. After a while of being trained so hard Syaoran was far away from the memory of Sakura. When Syaoran kept on growing the clan started making preparations for Syaoran's fiancee. He always wanted to see Sakura but the Elders prohibited it so Syaoran never spoke of it again. Why would Syaoran leave without even saying goodbye. Oh Sakura, Meilin thought. She had done nothing to hate her but why did she feel so envious.

Japan

"So as you can see Cleopatra only seduced Julius Caesar to become queen of Egypt. I want at least five page essay of what you learned about Egypt today for homework. Any questions?" the Sensie asked. Everyone blankly stared back. "Okay then you are dismissed."

"I guess that home work will be easy for you." Sakura said to Darius.

"I can help you if you want me to." Darius offered.

"Um Darius -kun I know that I said I would be patient but can you please explain to me what is going on?" Sakura plead. "I need to know what I'm up against."

" Oh all right Sakura I'll tell you." Darius sighed. "But not here. It is too much of a long story for one and it's better somewhere else. No one should be at earshot."

"Really? Thank you Darius-kun" Sakura looked like a jolly five year old bouncing .

"Wow! I've never been to your house before Darius-kun it's absolutely gorgeous!" Sakura looked around her. Her head leaned back to see the ceiling of glass ornaments. The walls clearly untainted. One thing she did notice were the portrats on the walls of pyramids, dancers. And statues of some Egyptian gods. Another statue of Budah. A stair way with midnight blue carpet leading upstairs. Exquisite curtains placed perfectly near the window sill. Sakura loved the way there were placed but there was a sad aura surrounding them. As if they were teardrops of a crying window.

"I'm glad you like it Sakura. I use to live here before I moved. My father had died, when I was little." Darius lead them to the corridor to the main room. "My father left my mother a will. Leaving her owner of this house. Though now I wonder why he owned such a spacious place. You see my father was Japanese, (yes that's where I get my rare look from), well he met my mother during high school. They got married and so on. I never found out how my father died."

Sakura silently looked at the portraits on the wall, not knowing what to respond. Both Syaoran and Tomoyo gave Darius a sympathetic look.

"I don't know my father either." Syaoran said who had tagged along after seeing Sakura all up on Toshiwa. "My mother refuses to tell me what happened to him."

Tentatively listening to Syaoran,Sakura continued to watch the portraits. There was one women that she kept noticing in each one. The women had layered hair that was dark blue, forest green eyes and skin the color of cinnamon. From what she had learned in school her face looked Egyptian and she was, from the looks of her dress and jewelry.

"Darius-kun is this your mother?" Sakura curiously asked.

"How did you know?"

"Well, I can tell by her face you both have the same cinnamon color and your faces look the same but she's really young in here. And I guess you got your eyes from your father."

Shifting uncomfortably Darius continued. "Okay then I'll tell you what's going on as far as I know. My mother just so happened to be the Reincarnation of an Egyptian magician named Amaya. A young, beautiful, and very powerful sorceress.

She was a niece of Clow Reed and daughter of the ruler of all Egypt, Pharaoh Darius. Unfortunately she had fallen in love with a low Western magician named Lusheye, a mere servant under Clow Reed's hand. Clow Reed didn't want to mix the magic together so he prohibited the love that had grown."

"What does this have to do with what's happening right now?" Impatiently Syaoran interrupted.

"Patience Li-san I was getting to that part."

"Amaya had created the Egyptian Amaya Cards. It contained forces that had powers just like the Clow cards. And since she decided to share them with her lover Lusheye of course Clow Reed disapproved. He had heard of the rumors and threatened her that she would regret such an act.

Amaya was a stubborn girl and her mother had already mixed the blood once so why couldn't she? But at last she couldn't. Living in Egypt had caused her an illness, an illness only performed by dark magic and she was going to die. She swore the Clow Reed would pay. She swore revenge on her mother's dearest brother. Right after this happened she sealed the cards and her soul into two reincarnations. They had to appear when the Card Master had been chosen. Which just so happens to be you Sakura. My mother was one of the Reincarnations chosen to destroy the bearer of the Clow Master, the second one had to be a male around our age chosen to destroy the Clow Master. By the way... the card you captured yesterday is directly associated with Amaya as a matter of fact."

Sakura took out the card from her pocket " Are you saying that this card has a part of Amaya's soul?"

Darius shook his head. "No, you see Amaya loved egyptian muas. A type of cat in Egypt. I don't know the exact story but it's said that she fused the creature with her magic from preventing it dying."

He looked at it very closely being more careful to it then he had yesterday. Shutting his eyes for a second he meditated . "I'm sorry I feel a bit tired."

"But if all the cards were Amaya's then wouldn't they harm her too?" asked Tomoyo who had been profoundly listening to Darius asked.

"Ah, but you see the Mau was a mere pawn. That is why it was the fist form of magic sent to attack Sakura. It is now sealed under the power of the stars. Under Sakura's magic. So it cannot hurt her own Mistress"

"Darius-kun do you know if I can use this card as a pet also I mean I never had one. . .except a snail."

SAKURA FLASH BACK

"Toya I want a pet!" Sakura told her brother during breakfast. Toya looked at his sister with a sympathetic look. "Okay I'll get you one since I don't have school today."

"Really?" Sakura squealed.

"Yeah just don't get all floaty with me."

Later that day. . .

"I'm home! Where's my pet Toya?" Toya was covering his face with a newspaper. "It's right there over the counter" Sakura was so excited. She would finally have a pet for her own. After not having a younger sibling she could finally raise something on her own.

When she got there what she saw made her eyes watery. Sakura stomped all the way to the kitchen. "TOYA! How could you do this to me! How could you give this to me" She said pointing at the small slimy snail on her hand.

"Hey you said you wanted a pet. I was to lazy to go to the pet store so I just went to the garden and got it."

"But. . I wanted a puppy." Sakura looked at him with big pleading eyes. Then she looked at the snail and imagined walking it and how she would return at midnight. Sakura sweat dropped. "I guess I'll do fine."

She looked at the snail again but it was flipped over and wasn't moving.

"Hey um Toya why isn't this thing moving?"

"Let me look. Oh it died well at least you had a pet for ten minutes"

"Toya you are so mean! I never want a pet again especially not from you!"

END OF FLASH BACK

"Like I said I never had a real pet."Sakura repeated.

"Well if you want to you can you are the Card Mistress after all. There is nothing wrong with that."

"Wow" Sakura said "I finally get to own my own pet."

"I just hope your brother doesn't kill it." Syaoran commented.

"I guess you have to be leaving now." Darius said ready to standup when he saw the sun setting. "I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow." He lead them to the front door. "Good night to you all. And to you Sakura-san."

"Kaijou were have you been it's nearly night" Toya demanded his baby sister. Lately she had been coming late from school and she had spent hours in her room thinking a lot. Where had his sister gone? She no longer went around the house cleaning when there was nothing to clean. Cooking random deserts. Trying to play the piano he had bought her recently. Which she awfully failed at. He had a feeling that the whole card captor business started again. Sixth sense or not there was something cunning about her lateness.

"I was at a friend's house" Sakura answered to his demand. She didn't want to lie in the first place. Her brother was already on her tail. Yesterday she had been in her room the whole day and didn't want to come out. When she finally did she found her brother right behind the door.

Toya looked at his sister carefully. He knew she wasn't the little girl anymore. The little girl he loved to scare and tease. The sister he helped grow up. Yes, she was capable of taking care for herself. She was already fifteen years old. But he had lost his mother he couldn't bear losing a sister.

"Sakura your hiding something from me aren't you?"

"I...I'm not hiding anything" Sakura stuttered. She avoid the conversation by going to her room. Why was Toya so insisting at times. If he found out what was going on he would never let her go out and even if he did he would probably follow her. Even worst what will he do if he finds out that Syaoran came back to Japan. Sakura could just imagine both of them fuming steam from their faces.

"sakura-chan what are you thinking about you look so tired. So how did it go? Did you talk to that other brat Darius?" the flying teddy bear asked.

"I don't know Kero-chan I just feel very tired these days. I feel something absorbing my energy. It's probably the cards. I feel them calling me." She answered.

What was she going to do. Halloween was coming soon and she knew a new card was going to appear. Sooner or later she would have to confront Syaoran. And by the looks of it he would not want to be with her. Why was she truly chosen to be Card Mistress?_ I mean me...what makes me different from any other person. She thought._

She snapped out of her trivail conflicts. Instead there was a much greater problem. Mist surrounded her like a wall of thick cotton balls.

"Kero, where are you?"She called. Only receiving the answer of solitude.

"Kero!" She shouted again. But received no response. She rubbed her eyes to clear her vision, her eyes widened as soon as she opened them. She had only seen the images that their Sensie had showed them in the textbooks but she had never seen a full length pyramid. It was huge. It would break her neck trying to see the very top. Taking a few minutes to realize that she was standing on sand she noticed being in a small market. People fleeing here and there. Everyone was wearing clothing like the one Darius's mother was wearing. Or in worn out rags which differed the rich ones from the poor. "

"That's it. I must be in Egypt but what am I doing here?" Sakura spotted a women who apparently was looking for someone.

"Excuse me but do you know where I am?" She asked the lady. But the lady didn't seem to notice her. She asked once more but still she would not answer. Sakura reached out her hand to tap her but her hand went right through the women. "Hoe?!! Ekk! She's a ghost. Wait a second I'm a ghost!" After being scared of ghosts so long it was surprising to be one. _And who would have thought I'd end up here. Wow I'm really in Egypt, i'm in Egypt in my pijamas. She sweatdropped._

Sakura looked at her surroundings. Egypt was extrodinarily huge. Far off there were people working with the hay and floor. Their feet mushing the floor one step then the next leg and the guards continuoaly yelling at them. _Hoe? _Then an aura sent vibes through her. It was an unmistakable light blue aura. An aura of peace. Her legs went after the source before her mind told her too. She ran for a while until she noticed she was in a palace, with pillars holding the structure. She turned around to admire it. Walls beyond walls full with hieroglyphics surrounded her. The most strange part of all was that she could interpret the symbols. Yes she had noticed that she was in Egypt but not she had relaized the time she was in. It was Ancient Egypt.

"Wow!"She exclaimed never in her life had she felt more enthusiatic. She felt so amazed at the symbols and artwork different from Japanese art but all of that was broken when she saw a women that was familiar. She had seen her somewhere today. The women had layered hair that was midnight blue. Her eyes were the same color of her hair, slanted and her skin was tanish. "Wait a second that looks like Darius's mom..no it's not his mom it's Amaya" Sakura thought or at least she assumed. Amaya looked just like the portrait she had seen earlier this evening but there was something different when she saw her. Her facial expression was different she looked more care free and young. Unlike the portrait Darius's mom looked more serious. Sakura followed Amaya to the balcony. Apparently she was waiting for someone. Amaya was wearing a white gown with a golden necklace. The necklace it was the one Darius wore. The same thin silver chain with a moon and star encarved on a silver rod.

"The day and night are two lovers,

Though the same they still can't love each other. The Night waits for Day to come,

But all she receives is no response"

Amaya recited with a sigh. Her voice was so sweet. She had a body of a women her face and aura was like of a child's.

Sakura also sighed. If she didn't know better she would say Amaya was in love.

"Amaya what are you doing out here at night?" a voice came from behind.

"Uncle Reed!" Amaya shouted, startled to see him. The last time he had come mother was still alive. "What a surprise... to um.. .see you" she stuttered.

"No, I should be surprised. You have grown into a fine women just like your mother was." Clow Reed smiled. He was just like the Clow Reed she had seen when she had battled Yue the Guardian of the Moon.

Amaya blushed lightly. She knew what he was here for. They were hers! She was their mother. Their friend and Mistress.

"Amaya" Clow Reed said. "You know what I'm here for, I've heard of the rumors. You are the only one now that is able to seal forces under the contract to become cards because I've made it that way. Don't make me take that privalage from you."

"But you can't. Their mine they are a part of me. Besides if you do you would be interfering with the magical balance remember?" Amaya snapped.

"I am the Great Clow Reed-sama. I can give you the power or take it. Either you lose the cards or you lose him but I don't want the magic mixed again. Your mother tried it once and look how she where she ended up. This is for your best Amaya." Clow Reed kept a straight face.

"What is wrong with you Uncle? You are not the type to act like this. No matter how sinister and crookedly creepy you can be sometimes. I was born with this magic, you never bestowed it to me. Just let me say goodbye if I must." Amaya pleaded. Kneeling down not looking at her uncle in the eye.

"I'll back tomorrow" he said. "You better make the right choice." he warned. Picking up his gown he left with elegance.

Amaya not wanting to leave her love Lusheye, didn't want to leave the cards either. She fled from the scene of her depression. Far away from the moonlight and into her room. Meanwhile Sakura hurried after her. "What am I going to do Isis? Tell me, your the one who's been there always" Amaya asked her pet Mau. "Meow?" the cat responded. She started to cry. "You will pay for this Clow Reed!"She screamed. It's just like in my dream Sakura thought. And all of the sudden there was a darkness of pitch black everywhere.

She closed her eyes and opened them again. There she was back in her room. Kero stared at her.

"Sakura-chan!!! You look a bit pale." Kero asked flying over to her.

'I... you mean you didn't see anything?" Sakura asked.

"No, I've been here staring at you while you expressions kept on changing. Why did something happened?"

Kero triggered Sakura's mind, her mouth began to unravel what her eyes had witnessed. Until then she always thought Clow Reed had been a good man. Clow Reed-Sama: The great magician of the East and West is not what he seems. That also meant the Eriol knew about this. Of course it wasn't Eriol's fault he was trying to live a normal life now. Sakura's head felt wobbly.

A drink of water would relief the headache. Down stairs, the water refreshed her dry tongue, moisturizing her lips. As she closed the fridge she noticed more mist surrounding her. Amaya sitting down on a chair, was mourning for Lusheye. But it didn't matter now, after death they would be reunited again. Only there was something required before her death. She took out her staff "Reincarnati!" In front of her appeared two dark figures. A tall women and a boy.

Amaya kept on sobbing. "Clow Reed I will make you pay. One of them will bear a child and he will avenge me but if he doesn't then I always have another" A hysterical laughter covered the atmosphere.

Before she died she sealed the cards where no one could find them. They would appear when the time was right. And with that last scene everything went back to normal.

Sakura dropped her glass of water. Everything was getting to her. All the images started appearing in her head. When Amaya started crying hysterically, someone dropped dead. They kept on flashing in her mind. The constant screeches filling up the canal of Sakura's ears. The intesity made her knees weak, made her mind lose contact with her body and she fell down to the floor. She winced . "Make it stop!" Sakura yelled. "Make it stop!"

"Sakura! Snap out of it! Can you hear me? Sakura?!" She could hear a voice replacing the cruelty of one heard before. Though it was harsh she knew it had no intention of malice. Someone's arm was carefully holding her shoulders up. Sakura's eyes fluttered open see a pair of amber eyes directly above hers. Syaoran was holding her with the greatest concern in his eyes. His legs kneeling right beside her. _Syaoran._ Since when was he this careful with her?

"Are you alright? What happened you were screaming and shaking."

"How did you get in here?" Sakura frantically examined the room for any signs of Touya.

"The windows open" Syaoran answered her. "What happened to you?" he asked spotting the broken glass on the floor and the water spilled about all over the kitchen floor.

Sakura shook her head not wanting to remember. Amaya was getting revenge on her because she was the new owner of the cards. And Darius... "One of them will bear a child and he will avenge me but if he doesn't then I always have another" she mentioned. It was definitely Darius.After all he was one of the reincarnation's son.

Sakura while turning pink, moved away from the Syaoran.

"So what happened here?" Syaoran recomposed the barrier between him and Sakura.

"Sakura!" A voice came from the window. It was Darius. He had also felt something going wrong in the Kinomoto's house.

Syaoran stood up leaving Sakura on the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"I may as well ask you the same"Darius countered impetuosly. His eyes darted Sakura on the floor. She looked confused and startled at his appearannce." You started seeing visions have you Sakura?" He picked up the cherry blossom from the floor.

"By any chance...where you having visions, some sort of taste of the past? Because if you did don't worry I use to have the same visions" He said. Sakura nodded. She noticed the plain bitterness in his voice while he was saying that.

"So it's true? You were sent to kill me?"

"Yes, I was suppose to. But I came to know the sweet cheery blossom. You defeated the Reincarnation of the Great Clow Reed-Sama. What chances do I have against you? I saw you that day when you gave money to that poor man, when you and Tomoyo had gone to the park. Or that time when there was a dead bird at the school entrance you took it home and gave it a proper burial. I got to know a girl who wanted to take the burdens of everyone she knew. Who made this world less afflictive and put more color into it. I couldn't destroy that precious blossom because if I did, something in me would die too. I cannot take away that sanctuary you have created for others and I noticed that I too..."

"You brats!" Stomping in, came a ferocious man. Sakura's brother, Touya entered with authority. Sakura gulped trying to seem as innocent as possible.

"Don't tell me your that Chinese brat." Touya grabbed Syaoran by the collar. "What are doing here at my house? Actually what are you doing here in Japan?" Then he took Darius with his other hand and grabbed him by the collar also.

"I don't want neither of you near my lil sis you hear me? Especially uninvited in my house! You touch her or hurt her you'll regret for every being a male."

"Kinomoto, you haven't changed." Syaoran took the chance to speak.

"Shut up! I want both of you out of here." And with that he threw them on the floor.

As stubborn as both of them maybe be, they both walked out. Holding in their pride, all for the sake of a girl.

Touya stared at his sister. His eyes had hardened. Couldn't she understand that she was too innocent. She had a spark that no other girl had. No one was worthy of it, she was so young and naive that she could fall in love with a sweet talker. Anyone could take advantage of her and then leave her hurting. Sakura was too much of a fragile blossom to see crumpled by the winter. If she does, all hope crumples along with her. Touya walked upstairs, not mentioning anything.

"He'll just do the same thing he did four years ago, Sakura. Don't waste your time."

"Hoe?" Besides her brothers rude manner, what did Darius mean?

Flash Back

End of last year "Class we have a new student. Welcome Toshiwa Darius." The sensie announced.

Fourteen year old Sakura looked up to see the new student. His hair was the shade of midnight blue hair that combined with his blue pale eyes and his skin was a sandy cinnamon yet matched him. Darius glanced around until he saw Sakura, gifting her a smile.

"Hanyaaa" Sakura melted under her seat. He had a very charming smile, very handsome all together.

Why did the transfer students have to look at her? Just then her thoughts when running to Syaoran. Four years had passed already. She shook her head now wasn't the time. She looked at Darius again and smiled back. Maybe she could forget about Syaoran after all.

Tomoyo leaned towards Sakura during lunch. "Sakura-chan, what do you think about Toshiwa-

kun?"

"He's extremely handsome, I hope I get to know him." Sakura said while she munched down her sandwich.

"Hello." Darius said coming from behind.

"Ohayo"Sakura greeted.

"Your Sakura right?"

"Hai! And this is Tomoyo"

"You seem nice can I sit here?" he said it as if hiding something, his words masking his true interntions.

"Sure" Sakura guilibly offered a seat to her left.

He knew exactly how to keep a conversation going. He was such a comedian too, in a proper way. If anything since the first day that Darius had sent her that smile, her was one who perplexed her more than Syaoran.

END FLASH BACK

Sakura went outside into the living room, making sure that Touya was in his room She opened the door into the porch. To her surprise both Syaoran and Darius sitting, waiting for her to come out.

"I though you guys left" Sakura said hands and hips. " So did you guys finally decide to get along?"

Both Syaoran and Darius looked at each other.

"Well?" Sakura asked.

"Ofcourse..." Darius said.

"...not."Syaoran lead on. "Either way theres another card, can't you feel it?"

"Alright! Kawai card mistress Sakura has a new card to capture!" came a voice from the bushes.

"Hoe!!!! Tomoyo since when have you been video taping?"

"oh ho ho, well since the very beginning when Syaoran took you in his arms and rescued you from your agony. It was very romantic!" Tomoyo started to form stars in her eyes. Meanwhile Syaoran turned different shades of red. Sakura blushed.

But the thought of seeing all those visions haunted her again. "Darius..what did you mean when you said you also had those visions?"

"I use to have them." As he said this Darius's eyes went into deep meditation. " When my mother died everything I knew had gone and visions kept on haunting me about the past. I came to know a hypocrite. A liar, a tyrant. If it weren't for him we'd never be in this mess in the first place. We'd be content with the simplicity of our lives. "

"But would we have appreciated it more? "Tomoyo spoke, " I've seen the course that Sakura took in her life. Accepting her role. My life has more meaning, it's more thrilling because of the events in our lives."

"So do you take it all as a game. Is it humorous to you, Tomoyo-san? Do you find our sufferment entertaining behind those lens you hide behind?"Darius reproached.

Tomoyo shook her head. "I don't humor it. I make the best of what has already been giving for our lives. I make the best of what is showned unto us. The moments of danger, I minor the atmosphere with fancy costumes that boost Sakura's confidence. Or do we have to engulf ourselves into suffering and that's all?"

Interrupting the unlikable tension, Sakura brought up minor worries. "Onni-chan will come out soon. He has a sixth sense you know. It's best if we all go to sleep. Good night Tomoyo-chan, Darius-kun, Li-kun."

"Is there food here? They should have a snackbar in the Library." Kero-chan whinned. "I'm hungry."

" The library is for investigation and reading. Kero-chan, you don't need to eat remember? Your not human." Sakura reprehended him.

"Your wasting your time. So far I haven't been able to find anything. I'm sure the stupid stuffed animal knows something." Li Syaoran slammed a bunch of books back into their shelves.

"Rude as ever aren't you gaki?" Kero glared at him.

"Well now what are we going to do?" Tomoyo also put away some books.

"Hey we can go have a picnic!" Darius ludicruosly suggested.

"You clown. You think it's funny? We need to know what we're up against." Syaoran stated.

Darius whispered to Sakura's ear. "Has he always been like this?"

"You can say that." Sakura looked at Syaoran out of the corner of her eye. _Of course Li-clan training. Typical for him to come back as a stone-hearted fool. He's like that because he doesn't make his own decisions. He obeys his family. It's silly of me to be selfish. I'm only acting like this because he's been away from me for so long. And now he is nothing to me but a memory disguised as my defendor. _

"Hey you guys maybe we should munch down at my place." Darius suggested.

"Well I am a bit hungry" Sakura said

"I'll come for a while." Syaoran agreed.

"Yey for FOOD!!" Kero applaud.

A fog had rapidly spread above the atmosphere. All four of them looked down and they found blood all over the floor. Tomoyo fell on her knees and started shaking. Distant recollections of an unknown death long ago came back.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura called out. Some sort of fog hit her in the head. A cloud in front of her mutated into the anatomy of a women. Slowly Sakura noticed the figure resemble the same person she saw frames of every morning. The figure smiled at the girl before her, walking away for her to follow.

"Mother! Wait for me!" Sakura shouted as she followed her mother out into the road. "Sakuraahhhhh!" The figured roared in a horendous way. Her mother's face sucked into a pitch black warp turning into the grim reaper. The grim reaper ascended towards Sakura. Flashes of lightning struck everywhere near the library. Now she kept on trying to run away. And when she turned around she saw Tomoyo who had fainted, meanwhile was slowly disappearing.

"Sakura!" Syoaran and Darius called out at the sight of the Grim Reaper . "I'll get to you, hold on!" Syaoran called once more from the foot steps of the library. However black mud from the ground formed into sulky corpses. Their bandages sinking inside their sockets.

"Toshiwa! What are you doing, stop stalling! Why are you not fighting back!" Syaoran fended off some decayed corpses. They were actually easily to defeat, on the contrary to Dairus who was struggling against his own fear.

"Mother..." Sakura breathed her mothers name. _What's going on? Is this another card. I won't let them portray my mother like this. Never. _Yet it was what she had always feared. She could barely remember her mother but she wouldn't stand to see her this way, as a monster. Something started crawling up on her leg. "This is not good. . ." Two eight legged spiders were playfully sneaking up her skirt.

"HOOOEEEEE!!!!!!!"

"Huh?" Darius's attention now focused on Sakura. "Sakura!! Wait I'll get to you."

"You can't even defend yourself. Go help her out I'll finish here!" Syoaran could beat them all.

From the corner of her eye, a large venomous snake slithered from behind Sakura's legs. "EKK!!HOEE!!!"

"Sakura!" The two boys went running towards her. When they had arrived to her the snake had already locked her up, difficult for her to wrestle out. One dangerous move and it could either swallow her or bite her to death.

"I hold it's mouth, you take the rest off." Syaoran planned. The plan was carried on but the snake resulted to be slicker. It's grasp on Sakura strenghthning it's grip. "Gah" her breathing was shortened.

"Nice work geniues, we cant take it off. The cards acting up on our fears the only one who can make it vanish is Sakura."

"She can't, don't you see she's too weak, she can't do it on her own." Before he could retrieve his words, Syaoran had already said them. On the contrary, he didn't believe she was weak but his own desperation to get her out of the situation made him speak accordingly.

"Guys this isn't the time to be fighting." The anxiety was suppose to be done on her part. Her lungs were reaching out for air. Slowly her face was blending to a greenish-bluish color. Sound was not welcomed into her ears any longer. Her vision faded away, her weight collapsing along with the shutting of her eyes. The snake had bit her, departing from it's crime.

"Damn it! Sakura! Wake up!" Syaoran deplored, "She doesn't have much time she was poisoned! We need to bring her to a hospital!"

"We can't! Its far away besides we can't explain this to them." Darius took Tomoyo by her waist carefully. "Come on we have to go to my house!"

Boom!

The Thunder was so beautiful outside. Like a god demanding it's power, humbling those who wish to forget their inferiority. Whom they forget to Fear. FEAR! Yes that was the card. Those inner fears which break the confidence of an individual. _It feeds on our deepest fears._

Sakura stirred on the unfamiliar bed beneath her. The thunder kept booming with authority.

BOOM!!

Her body immediately arose to a sitting position. Sweat poured from her forehead. Where was she? She remembered being near the road of the library. Sakura's feet was ready to make contact with the floor until a voice intterupted. A gasp escaped her lungs.

"You shouldn't try to stand up." Syaoran said coming from the door.

"Where's Darius?" Sakura whispered. Her voice was weak after lack of oxygen and being squeezed to death.

"He went to buy some bandages. He couldn't find some here. How are you feeling?"

"My body still feels like its being squeezed "

Syaoran sat on the bed next to her. "The thunder hasn't seized since this afternoon. Beautiful isn't it? The thunder seems to be throwing fists down to Earth but the Lightning mezmerizes you. And then you stop caring about what you hear, only what your eyes see matters. Once we see a light that captures our attention we seem to forget our fears. They fade away and we can finally be in tranquility. " He seemed so focused on the weather outside. Or was he speaking symbollically? "I couldn't do anything to save you. I'm sorry I failed at my obligation."

"I'm not obligating you to protect me. Like you said I was too weak, I have to learn how to stand up on my own. " Sakura assured.

Syaoran shook his head. "Actually, you were pretty strong out there. No one could help you, but you didnn't cry you stood there and took the pain without hesitation. I admire you for that."

"Oh." _ Admire me? Why does he always contradict himself. He says I'm uncapable to stand up for myself and then he says I was strong enough. He says means things and then says nice things. What are you playing at Syaoran?_

"Sakura your awake! About time too, Daidouji-san's been worrried ever since she woke up.

How are you feeling?" Darius quickly rushed over to Sakura's bedside.

"Don't worry about me. I'm perfectly fine. I must say though, everythings a blur. What happened?"

"You sort of left us back there Sakura. Li lost his composure and used most of his healing powers to get rid of the venom."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Li-kun is it true? Arigatou"

BOOM

The thunder kept roaring across the skies. "It's my responsibility to keep you safe." Syaoran stood up from the bedside, walking away.

Darius raised an eyebrow. "What's with him? Don't waste your time over him Sakura. With your charisma he'll come around. Fortunately I have the advantage for the time being."

"Hoe?"

"Nothing." Darius scratched his head, chuckling.

"I hope your not laughing at me. I know you for nearly a year now and I still don't completely get you. I wish we would become closer friends especially now that I confide in you as an ally."

Sakura leaned towards the head of the bed. Curious of Darius's past.

"You know what I'm curious about. How can you have all this power and not misuse it. How can you still trust me after knowing that I could have killed you?"

"Because you haven't." She blurted out, "as for my abilities, Kero-chan says I'm still not at my full potential. I'd never want to misuse my power. I never want anyone to hurt especiall because of me. I guess you can say that my weakness is that I care too much about everyone else. I don't care if it is."

"Maybe it is your weakness. I wouldn't know anything in matters of compassion. I still have to mature in that subject. What I do know is that you don't know how to doubt people Sakura."

"Nope!" She exclaimed, stretching her arms high.

Darius sweat-dropped. "That's not necessarily good." He fumbled through a brown bag he had held in his hand throughout the conversation. "Take this, it's suppose to make you feel better."

"Arigato." Sakura's heart began to race. "Is Li-kun okay? Did he really use most of his powers to cure me?"

"It's alright. You get some rest now." He stood up getting ready to head out.

"But is he okay?" She insisted.

"Yeah, he's okay." He mumbled. _Why is all her concern towards Li. _

"Thank you Darius-kun." He heard before shutting the lights.

"I offered my living room for you to sleep in and you decide to be by the window." Toshiwa pestered.

Syaoran ignored his comment. "How is she?"

A bit annoyed now, Darius's level of voice rose. " What exactly is your relationship with her? You both seem to be so fond with each other."

"Your wrong. I'm commited to protect her that's all I'm here for. It's nothing personal. I don't have the same affection I had for her long ago." He pretexted.

"In despite of what you say, Sakura's, Daidouji-san's and including my fears were all fulfillled in some way. How come nothing happened to you? Is it just a coincidence that Sakura almost died today because it's really un-like Sakura for her greatest fear to be a snake around here. Or is it that Li-sama has no fears?"

"Ohohoho. No Syaoran's greatest fear wouldn't be Sakura's affliction if that's what your trying to insinuate." Tomoyo slyly remarked as she entered the living room.

"BOOM!"

Darius was left in the living room by himself after a while. "_I never want anyone to hurt especially because of me. I guess you can say that my weakness is that I care too much about everyone else. I don't care if it is." _

"_You don't know how to doubt people Sakura."_

Darius's lips formed into a lazy smile. "Is it pure compassion or ignorance? Why did you pick her Clow Reed?"

"What are doing sleeping in the couch? Your room wasn't taken." Sakura poked a sleepy Darius.

"Huh? Oh I must have accidently slept in. Someone's very energetic this morning." All of his hair tousled around like a scruffy puppy.

"Hai! I made breakfast. Me and Tomoyo had to be leaving onni-chan said I had to be home before seven. Syaoran left at five in the morning. Well enjoy the food. Ja ne." Sakura caught up with Tomoyo at the door, waving goodbye.

Darius went to the kitchen and found steamy hot cakes on the table. At the corner there was a small note.

THANK YOU Sakura

"I don't like Halloween..." Sakura whimpered. "There's all kinds of scary masks, people like to scare me. Hoee!!! Tomoyo-chan!! I don't want to go to the festival!"

"Stay still Sakura-chan. Let me sew this up we don't want your dress to fall apart now do we?" Tomyo argued. "See how fast I finished. Come on let's go help with the decorations."

"Wow! Sakura you look like a total goddess! You look so beautiful!" The Rika,Chiharu, and Noako exclaimd in unison when they saw Sakura step out of the bathroom.

Sakura just scratched the back of her head and sweat dropped. "Arigato! Hoe!!! You finished without me!" She exclaimed as she saw everything set up. Tables were arranged, the food was set on a table, ribbons perfectly tied unto the poles.

"You don't need to worry about the set up we finished it." Said Noako. "Although it would be nice to have some ghosts around."

"HOE!!!"

"We'll be back, as soon as we get more people to come before dusk." Rika told Sakura before the three girls left.

"I don't like Halloween..." Sakura whined as she went out to the field. Everything was so nicely decorated. There was something she could do after all.

"Flowery! Mist! Glow! Decorate this Place!"

All around her the cards spun about leaving orange flowers on the tables, the mist spread fog a few inches above ground while the Glow sent a few sparks of light floating.

Pleased with her work Sakura admired the cards. "Arigato."

A crowd was starting to fill up in the backyard of the school.

"Nice work Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo felicitated. Sakura turned around to see Tomoyo had dressed up. Fashionable as Tomoyo was ofcourse her costume was flawless.

"Hanyaahh!! Tomoyo-chan your dress is splendid! Hoe..but what are you suppose to be.?"

" Ohohohoh Sakura-chan...I'm dressed as a detective."

"A detective? Isn't that too styly?"

"I have alot of interrogating to do tonight that's why. "

"Hoe!! I don't get it." Then a flame of enthusiasm spread through Sakura's body. "Look Tomoyo-chan! Wow, the costumes are so beautiful." It seemed this year a lot of people got into the spirit of Halloween. Couples wore matching costumes, or vice versa. Then again, some people didn't wear anything according to the Halloween spirit.

Sakura directly spotted Li-kun walking with his hands shoved in his pockets. "Li-kun!!" Sakura waved.

"Eh? Oh it's you."Syaoran carelesslly responded. Though beneath surface of his mind he agreed differently. Sakura definetly out did her beauty that night. A midnight blue dress made out of silk hung on her body, showing her curves all the same. There were tiny pieces of glitter perfectly placed on the silk as to illustrate a midnight sky filled with stars. A long celestial blue scarf hugged her back and tangeled around her wrists. Tomoyo had curled her hair placing each strand up with a silver star shaped pin.

"Daidouji made that?" He rudelly reffered to the costume, which more likely seemed like a dress of a goddess.

"Yup! Tomoyo-chan said I suppose to be a Goddes of Night.." She replied sweetly. Sakura gave a twirl. "I don't think I'm much of a goddess. I think I should have just come like a bunny or something."

Syaoran slightly blushed while she twirled.

"No Sakura you look beautiful. This costume suits you well." Darius said coming from behind. He was wearing a costume as well. A long black cloak. It had the same symbol his staff had on the back. He was also wearing a dark blue robe with golden edges. His hair was tousled as usual and his eyes matched perfectly with his robe. Apparently he was a magician.

"Unlike some people, Halloween is my favorite time of year. Oh, I don't mean to offend you Sakura, I will protect you if your afraid. But even in the Magician world Halloween is the most dangerous time of year, it's also fun when you dress up." Darius slowly angered Syaoran with his words. Syaoran walked away. "Sorry to lie like that but actually I didn't want to wear this but Tomoyo forced me to."

Sakura giggled. "Yeah I know how she is" Then Sakura's eyes widened with joy as she saw Yukito approaching, dressed in a white suit with a halo and strong like wings. On the other hand Touya he came right behind wearing a black suit with no sprecial props.

Sakura went running to them. She gave Yukito a friendly embrace. It had been a while since she had last seen her guardian Yue. "Wow, Sakura-chan. The costume is perfect on you." Blushing from his kind affection she bouced with delight.

Toya was amazed at his little sister. Time really flew by fast. This motivated him even more to keep anyone near her.

"Yeah but deep down, if you look really deep she's really just a monster." Toya teased.

"Oh Yeah and I guess your devil costume fits you perfectly doesn't it?" Sakura annoyed, answered back..

"Why you...!!!"

"Now Toya don't be teasing you little sister." Yukito retorted. "We'll see you later Sakura we're going to check out the games."

"Okay see ya Yukito-san." Sakura waved at him. Just before she bumped into some one. "Oh Terada-sensie sorry to bump into you."

"Pardon me, Kinomoto-san I wasn't looking where I was going. By the way have you seen Rika-san?" He asked a bit worried. He looked the same as ever since elementary school.

"I saw her earlier. She's went with Noako and Chiharu to bring people."

He left Sakura as soon as she said that. Terada-sensie was always taking care of Rika. They both had an affection for each other obviously. Everyone knew but no one said anything about it. There was nothing really to say, everyone knew how Rika kept it a secret from her parents, until the time was right for them to know.

"Now that I remember Sakura-chan, I overheard a conversation between them a while ago." Tomoyo opened her camcorder and pressed the play button.

"Rika!" Terada Semsie exclaimed in relief. He grabbed Rika and hugged her. "Your alright."

"Yeah I've been in the hallway decorating since 3 o'clock. Why, is there some thing wrong?"

"I don't know why but I had this crazy feeling that you were dead."

Rika placed her hand on his cheek. "But I'm alright. Don't you see I'm fine. It must have been silly of you to think that."

Terada hugged Rika one more time. "I must have been hallucinating."

Beep

Tomoyo put away her camcorder. "It's very touching, I couldn't help but record it. You think it can be related to what happened at the library?"

Sakura nodded. "It's a card. And I think it has to do with our fears. Apparently Terada-sensie most feared about Rika's death. The same with my mother. I've never really known my mother, I've always seen her as an angelic figure, but one of my fears is finiding out that she is not what I imagine her to be." Sakura looked up, the sky started to grumble. A streak of white light raced across the sky.

"Way to go Sakura-chan. Now we have to deal with lightning." A sarcastic squeaky voice came from her bag.

"Kero-chan!? What are you doing here? I told you to stay home. You never listen to me!" Sakura retorted.

"Your yelling at me when it should be the other way around. How could you back stab me like that? Leaving me all alone. Your so selfish, you made me stay home when you were coming here to eat candy without me. I thought I knew you better." And he kept talking on and on..

"But you must know. The Fear can easily read your mind and shows them to you, though not necessarily making them real."

If the Fear was clearly active then...

"That means it'll be a disaster here. We have to act fast." Syaoran said fiercely. He had sensed the danger as soon as the lightning flashed.

"We? It's okay Li-kun, I can handle this by myself." Sakura told him, obviosly wanting to avoid him after their first talk in so long.

"Don't be a fool. Your only a girl of course you need my help. Your to weak to handle anything by yourself." Syaoran said boldly.

"Excuse me?" Sakura snapped. Something she never really did with anyone except her brother.

"Oh dear..." Tomoyo dreaded a major conflict between those two. Then her eyes shined furiosly. "Oh Sakura-chan!!! I knew an oppurtonity like this would come sooooo I made you this." She held up a small bag, apparently everyone knew there was a costume in it. Not to mention that it was the first costume made for Card Capturing in years.

Coming out behind a tree away from the school's festival, Tomoyo admired her creation. Sakura fit perfectly in her all black one piece costume with faded pink on the edges. The costume material was water proof, appropriate for the current weather. Her gloves tightly grasped her staff and her knee high boots resulted to give her balance.

Syaoran took out his sword, the most valuable treasure he had and the only thing he trusts. Looking ahead the grim reaper lead an army of thieves, culprits, murderers. Sakura focused on a corpse wearing one of her mother's dresses. One she remembered seeing in her mother's pictures. Anger rose in her chest. " You'll regret ever using my own fears against me." She wasn't even aware of the ghosts, or thunderstorms all around her. That one fear of her mother, that one simple insecurity turned into a concrete phantasm. Though she barely remembered her mother, she was sure that she had loved her.

"Sakura! Think straight! What do you do when your scared?" Syaoran shouted out to her as he was being attacked by the infamous Jack the Ripper.

"What helps me with my fears? Then she recalled Syaoran's words from earlier. _Once we see a light that captures our attention we seem to forget our fears. They fade away and we can finally be in tranquility._ I turn on the li...That's it!" She knew what to do.

"Light!! Shine unto the fear!" A stream of light fell unto the Fear. Defeating it once and for all. "Spirits of the ancient world..." The fear formed into a near shape of contract. A grim reaper appeared on the card.

Bringing out the light wasn't what Syaoran had in mind but it actually worked. The light scared away the fear and it's army. Everything cleared up again and the festival was functioning well. Bouncing up and down Sakura seemed as if nothing happened.

"Don't be to proud of yourself. After all it wasn't that much of a strong force." As always since the old Card Captor days Syaoran had to rudely bring her down.

"Hai! If it weren't for you I wouldnt have defeated the Fear." Even after all the emotional put downs he always gave her, Sakura would never stop being her bouncy self. She really was unbelievable.

"Did you really lose all feelings for her Li-kun?" Tomoyo quietly intterogated him.

"Yes." he tried to respond as bluntly as possible.

"You know Li-kun, your a very contridicting person. I watched your love for Sakura grow slowly. They say when love deepens after so long it remains there. Though you say you love Sakura no more. Don't you think that the love that had grown once will soon bloom again?"

"Why are you talking in riddles?"

With a more direct point Tomoyo persisted. "I'm just saying. Don't you think you'll love her once again just like you did a few years ago?"

"Let's just hope that doesn't happen. It's for the better. I'd perfer if you stop asking me foolish questions. Stop insisting on something that's not meant to be. It's true I loved her, yet I left all that here in my ignorant years. There well be no blooming as you would put it."

"I see." Tomoyo tried to sound disappointed. "Well there's always Darius-kun for my dear Sakura-chan!"

Syaoran glared at her. "You do that on purpose don't you?"

"What do you mean?" She responded innocently.

"Nevermind." There was no reason for him to get jealous. He stared at Sakura who was far off buying a drink with Darius. "All I'm here to do is to protect her not to write a love story."

Alex: I know I took long to edit this one. . Well I thank all the reviewers. I love you guys, always motivating me even when I'm so busy. And I accidently deleted chapter 9 also. sigh I know I know, Please don't flame me!!! I;m trying my best. Journalism is so time consuming and my AP class. Well I still have a bunch of little plots forming in my head :) So you guys better keep reading!!! And for the people who want lots of S&S I know you guys love that but be patient, because if you think about it guys are reallllyyyy slow. (heheheh) Arigatou!!!!!


	3. White Cherry Blossoms

Chapter three

White Cherry Blossoms

Sakura was sitting on her bed mesmerized by the beautiful blanket of snow trapped outside her window. Maybe Christmas would be peaceful, maybe, just maybe there was a slight hope that could defrost himself. It's funny how you think you've found love and you fought for it till the end only for that warmth running inside of you to turn into frozen vile. What was the reason for him to turn away? If he found someone else along the way then why didn't he tell her so?

"Moshi, Moshi, Kinomoto residence!" Sakura answered as soon as the phone rang.

Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo greeted.

"Ohayo Tomoyo-chan! What's new?" She greeted back.

"You'll see. Were going to the airport!"

Meanwhile in the airplane

Sitting in isle nine seat B there was a girl sitting, probably around her fifteen's. Raven hair, Red amber eyes, a strong body due to martial arts training. Li Meilin was her name and she hadn't expected to go back to Japan. Life in Hong Kong would be so boring without Syaoran. Tomoeda was way more interesting than Li-clan strictness.

Airport

"Sakura-chan! You look so Kawai! I knew this winter outfit would look marvelous on you." Of course that was Tomoyo and her usual talk of how kawai Sakura looked.

Syaoran tried to look away. Tomoyo was purposely emphasizing her words and he wasn't going to fall for it.

"Look here she comes." Syaoran told them pulling his focus away from Sakura.

"Kinomoto-san!!!Daidouji-san!!!" Meilin ran directly to them hugging them with her purest intentions.

"Meilin! Were so happy to see you!! How have you been?" Both of the suffocating girls greeted. They noticed rising tears swimming down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry." Meilin apologized. "It's just that I'm glad to be back with caring people like you guys. You have no idea how hard it is to live with people who are always strictly into their business.

Meilin turned around. "I thought you would at least say good bye Syaoran. How could you leave like that? You could have at least told me."

"Like it mattered. I knew you'd be right on my tail."

"Is that all you count me for? As an annoying pestilence?"Meilin pointed out offended.

"Umm guys...you do know this isn't the time to be carrying out a conversation in an airport." Sakura intervened.

Toshiwa Darius looked outside his window. It was a snowy day like this when his mother died.

Flash Back

Freshly baked cookies were taken out of the oven. WInter was the perfect season to bake hot steamy chocolate, and warm deserts. Unfortunately his mother had fallen ill. The ancient curse had no cure. It could not be negotiated with. Darius took the tray upstairs to his mother's room.

"Here. I've baked cookies for you. They'll keep you warm."

"Darius, stop fooling around you know that the matter of the fact is that I will die. You can't go back in time, you can't clog the sand in the hour glass. My time has come and that's that. Take it like a man." said Aya, lying in her death bed.

"A man? What is a man without his mother? I promise I will get to the bottom of this. First my father. Now you. Don't you know how much it hurts?"

She was never like this. His mother had always been a compassionate being. She loved to spending time with him. It was that blasted curse that had weakened her to submit to the orders of Amaya-sama.

"The only way to get of rid of this curse it by spilling the amount of blood that has been spilled from us. The Holder of the Clow Cards must be destroyed. After she is destroyed our bloodline won't be burdened with this plague. You better not fall for that foolish prophesy."

"I won't"

"Good. Don't disappoint me. I love you my son." Aya's everest green eyes closed.

"I love you too."

End of flashback

"I'm sorry mother, I have failed you. The prophesy seems to be true after all. I won't kill to lift up this curse. It would be selfish to want to live from the death of another.

Syaoran's apartment

"Wow Syaoran!"Meilin squealed "Your apartment looks better than before. I'm surprised though how come Aunt Yelan didn't bring Wei"

"I'm not a little boy anymore."

"Yeah, Yeah whatever you say." Her eyes hardened, turning more serious she looked up at him.

"Your mother sent me specifically as your guardian."

"Guardian?"Tomoyo asked.

"Yeah well.." Meilin scratched her head sheepishly, "I'm suppose to be aware of his doings in Japan. He got carried away the first time he was in Japan, but now he is strictly instructed to follow what the clan wishes."

"Oh." said the two girls in unison.

" I thought I was old enough for them to trust me."

Meilin began to protest but maybe she should stay quiet, except for one remark. "Maybe it wasn't your mother who really wanted to know what you were up to, but someone else.."

Syaoran just gave a slight glare.

"By the way did you know the Sakura-chan knows how to telepathically talk to people."

"Tomoyo..." Sakura interrupted. "Well it's true but it's not as strong. My magic isn't that advanced. Kero-chan was teaching me but we sort of lost track."

"That's a shame" Syaoran commented. "Obviously you thought everything was over after becoming Card mistress and didn't bother to make you magic stronger."

If he only knew how much it cost her to stable that power.

Flash Back

Kero, leg crossed flying in the air looked at Sakura harshly. "Concentrate Sakura."

"I'm trying to Kero-chan, it's harder than you think." Sakura whined. Her mind was about to explode. Telepathy was a dangerous technique if not careful, you could destroy some ones mind.

"Just concentrate. Let your aura flow out, you need to focus on a happy thought. Like friendship or something... you have a lot of happy thoughts in there."

Syaoran...

"Why did you mention that brat?" claimed Kero annoyed now. "Wait a minute... I heard your thoughts."

"Hoe? You did? " Sakura asked bewildered. When Kero had asked her of a happy thought she thought of him when in reality he was her most depressing memory.

End of Flash Back

Now that Syaoran remembered, there was a moment at night while he was resting that he heard her voice call out his name. Yet he had thought of it as an illusion. Was it really her then? Maybe not.

TWO DAYS LATER

Sakura's class was now known the class of exchanged students. Meilin entered the class room very slowly. She had forgotten what it was like to enter in a classroom full of strangers. But the minute she walked in she noticed a pair of blue eyes looking out the window. He was a very handsome guy with spiked tousled hair that shone a radiant midnight blue. And from where she was standing she could see his perfect body. She looked from him to Sakura who had noticed how she was looking at Darius.

"No." Sakura mouthed.

"Class I present you Li Melin from Hong Kong who is attending our class now. Please sit behind Ms. Kinomoto." The Sensie instructed her.

Meilin took her seat right behind Sakura. "Why?" She asked Sakura in a low voice impossible to hear.

"Because he and Syaoran are kind of rivals. You know how he and Eriol always were. What would he think if you his cousin saw you with him."

"At least tell me his name."

"Toshiwa Darius."

"What is he Egyptian or something, he certainly doesn't look Japanese." Meilin commented while giving him a look. "He's so cute." she finally said.

"Is someone talking about me?" Kero asked as he had popped out his bear head out of Sakura's bag. But before anyone could see him Sakura stuffed him in the bag.

"He's like me and Syaoran he's also a magician." Meilin took a quick glance at Darius. Him a magician. That sounded a bit interesting. By the looks of it she had a lot to catch up on. But she couldn't wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow would be their trip.

Next Day

"all right class, settle down on a seat." This time Terada Sensie had joined them on their trip which was a good thing since their other teacher was mean.

"Wonder how the ice skating rink is like." Sakura wondered. She took a seat next to Tomoyo and Meilin. Meanwhile Syaoran was sitting in a seat next to Takashi-kun and Darius-kun. This is going to be a long ride Sakura secretly told Tomoyo from her mind. Takashi started telling them stories about how ice was invented. And how the Eskimos had migrated during the ice age. And on and on. It was a half hour trip at least they weren't going to hear his story of the time he saw the North witch. Not to mention he probably got that from The Wizard of Oz.

"Sakura," someone tapped her shoulder. It was Darius, "who's your friend?"

"Oh this is Li Meilin cousin of Li Syaoran."

Darius looked at this young girl. She didn't look anything like Syaoran in fact she was very cute especially with her half buns.

"Nice to meet you Li-san."

"It's a pleasure. Hey is it true that your from Egypt?" At this point she was very curious. She never seen someone foreign except for those business men who were always coming in and out of the Li property.

"Half Egyptian and half Japanese." He didn't consider himself Egyptian since he liked where he was born. He returned to Egypt when he was young probably when he was four or so. And it was then he was being prepared in getting stronger.

"I never really met a foreign person before. "

She asked all of them but mostly at Sakura.

"Well," Tomoyo began, "if you all want we can go we could go to the school's Winter Carnival."

"Yeah that's if we don't get attacked by an evil force or something." Sakura added. "We haven't seen a dark force for a while don't you think it my attack when we are most off guard?"

"She's right but meanwhile let's get off this bus it's stopped." Darius said.

The bus was filled with kids laughter and voices. It got very noisy. But as Sakura got out she noticed the frozen lake. It was cold but the scenery was marvelous as Tomoyo would point out.

Talking about Tomoyo she had taken out her camcorder and was taping the entire winter wonderland. This place was actually a legendary one. It use to be a shrine or at least something like that and it has a background story of a weeping lady who cried frozen tears until she made a an icy lake. But as years went by the lake had become more polluted and the trees were being destroyed. But recently the citizens wanted to restore the park. Not to mention there were woods behind it. A lot of people have been lost in there. She shivered and went back to with her classmates.

"I'm, sure most of you know how to ice skate," Terada Sensie began, " just try your best to stay with a partner or a group I don't want any lost teenagers. This place is very big as you can see so please behave. But besides that have fun!"

"all right! That's what I'm talking about!" Meilin grabbed her skates and quickly put them on.

"Meilin!"Syaoran called out, "just be careful not to fall!"

'Typical for you to care for your cousin I guess you do have a caring side." Darius said as he came from behind Syaoran.

"Shut up."

"You really do have a bad attitude against me don't you?" Darius smirked.

"I don't like it when you act like a wise guy." commented Syaoran as he put on his skates. What was this guy's problem?

"Guys." Sakura interrupted. "Please not today. We need to be together as allies." Bubbly as usual, Sakura went about twirling in circles. Ice Skating wasn't that much different than roller blading. All of a sudden something caught her attention...a card? She let her guard down once again. The thought of it pushed her body to the floor.

"What are you doing?" Syaoran asked with a hidden worry under his face

"I sense something near. Like a force." She headed towards it leaving Syaoran behind.

"Wait don't go on your own. Stupid!" Syaoran ran after her making sure no one noticed. What was with her? She kept trying to do everything on her own.

"Wait!" Tomoyo came skating fast. Running after Sakura with a costume in her arm.

Sakura glanced once behind her. 'Tomoyo.." only to be responded with pleading eyes.

"I won't be away for long, make sure no one notices anything. " Sakura told Tomoyo as she came out behind a tree in a new set of clothes. A light blue with pink and white colored dress. She also had a matching hat with it and boots to keep her legs warm. A cute cloak hanged from her neck to cover her shoulders. She ran into the forest while Tomoyo as slick as she was, kept the camera going.

"It's like I feel it so close but I don't see anything." She whispered to herself. Her examined the quilt of snow lazily sleeping on the branches. Nothing was moving in the woods. She tried to concentrate but it failed her. At last she tried once more and the warmth of her cards surrounded her. "Syaoran..."

"Let's go back I don't see anything." he interrupted. But when he turned around the path was covered with trees. "That wasn't there before." he looked at the other paths, "neither were those."

"That's what I was going to tell you. We're lost." She looked inside her pocket to finder her cell.

"Unless you use you cell phone." Syaoran advised turning to face Sakura but she wasn't there. "Sakura?"

"Syaoran! Where are you?" Just like Syaoran, Sakura was looking for him. Somehow they were separated. She tried to walk around for a bit but only caused her to get lost even more. "Oh crap!"

She fell on smooth snow and scratched her knee with a branch. When she finally unraveled herself she hadn't notice she was on the edge of a hill causing her to fall backwards. The other branches cut her flesh as the blood poured out slowly. She tried to reach her staff before she landed on the ground but that only caused her to get caught on another tree and badly wounding her right hip. Now she was stuck on another tree and her staff was all the way on the bottom. She was scratched all over and couldn't do anything about it. Was she that helpless when no one was around?

Once again she tried to get of the tree but only caused the stick that had stabbed in her right hip to dig in deeper. Sakura yelled. Her hip hurt like hell. It burned her. The dress had ripped with the fall and because of it the silk was stuck with the branches of the tree. The only way to get out was if she took out her dress. Thankfully there was no one around and thankfully Tomoyo had made an inner part of the dress. It was only a white tank top and an inner white skirt. Of course she had no idea that this was going to happen. But it didn't matter because no one was around to see what she was wearing. She finally got herself out of the tree. But she couldn't reach for the dress. All she could see was that it was soaked with blood. Now that she really thought about it that hill was pretty high. No wonder she fell in so many layers of trees and branches. She reached down for her staff and the bag that contained her cards. But again the stick dug in more into her flesh. She tried to take it out but it was in too deep. Her cell phone had probably hit a tree, now it was broken. It's pieces were shattered every where. There she was hopeless and defenseless.

Maybe telepathy would work in this case but it was hard to concentrate.

Sakura closed her eyes, everyone in the world appeared in her mind. Magic and Non magic. "Where is Syaoran?"

She kept looking for his mind in hers but he was no where to be found. She'd have to search deeper even though her mind cannot support mind connections for too long. Although she may not know it the Card Mistress has power to connect with other human minds, but also to destroy them. The only problem was that she did not know how to control it.

//Laughter... "Chiaka won't you come skate with me?"//

//Cries... "No Daddy please don't leave me...don't go please//

//Malice... "Better watch your back next time punk!"//

//Hunger... "Please give money for my children, please be merciful."//

//"Where's Sakura?" // A particular voice called. Her mind could not hold longer, she'd finally found Syaoran but her body gave in due to the energy flowing out.

//Syaoran...help me// Sakura helplessly cried before fainting into the blanket of snow. The phrase was heard in everyone's mind almost as quiet as a whisper. No one paid much attention, perhaps the rustling of the wind brought voices from afar. But there were those who were alarmed. Tomoyo immediately looked at Darius who responded by nodding and signaling Meilin.

"Where am I?" Sakura wondered.

The streets and houses she grew familiar with came into vision. And there were those very infamous swings which she had once open her heart to Syaoran. The very same Tomoeda which she grew up in was in her presence.

"Oka-san?" Sakura's eyes widened to see a girl around her age. The girl's violet curled hair reach up to her waist, her gleaming emerald eyes sympathized someone next to her.

"Aya." Darius's mother, it had to be. But Darius never mentioned that they knew each other. The girls on both swings talking to each other, seemed to be having a good time. It occurred to Sakura that this is one of her visions so no matter how hard she wanted to hug her mother she couldn't. She couldn't feel her soft skin or her sweet breath to tell her a story or the warmth of a good night kiss. Nadeshiko head turned and looked at her direction.

Sakura bolted up from her dream. The sun was already up. A day had passed and still no sign of Syaoran. Was he hurt like she was? No she didn't think so he wasn't clumsy like herself. But what of her dream? Nadeshiko knew Aya? She shivered. Now she was all alone with no one, how pathetic that all by herself she was useless. She collapsed on the blanket of snow not caring if it were cold or not.

"Sakura!" Syaoran shouted for the millionth time. She was still now where in sight. But as if his prayers were answered, violent red ichor danced on top of the snow led to a swooned Sakura. She was pale as the white roses of a tombstone. Immediately he took off his warm coat and wrapped it around her. "Sakura!" he shook her vigorously.

"You came?" she asked faintly.

"Of course I did." At the moment he spotted the branch that was stuck is her hip. And the thin white dress that Sakura was shivering underneath. "How did this happen?"

"I got stuck on a tree, clumsy me I couldn't get out so I took off that frilly dress. I just hope Tomoyo-chan does not lament over it."

"Hush, your bleeding to death and your worrying about a stupid dress." Syaoran silenced her.

" I can't hold any longer. I'm going to die anyway. Just like my mother."

"Don't you even say that", he firmly told her, "no matter what promise me you won't give up."

Syaoran lifted her chin up to his face. So their eyes would meet. " I know your a lot stronger than that. We'll get through this and laugh. Now promise me."

She looked at his amber eyes. The were so concerned, so caring. This was the first time she saw that 10 year old boy that had left her before." I promise." As if on cue Darius with his staff pointing at them and along with the two girls came in view.

"Sakura-chan!!" Tomoyo came running to her friend's aid. "How did this happen?" SHe immediately put some covers she had brought around her best friend's stiff body.

"How did you guys know we were here?" Syaoran gratefully asked.

"We heard Kinomoto-san voice yesterday. I don't know how and well Darius tried to track you guys down through your aura." Meilin in awe responded.

"I don't know exactly what happened either but she needs an ambulance immediately." Syaoran carried Sakura in his arms.

"Syaoran," said Sakura. "We haven't captured the Egyptian Card yet."

"You can't be serious. Your consistently bleeding right now and you expect me to let you go capture the card? Are you that stupid?" He rudely questioned her. His frigid body could barely even carry her and all she could do was think about capturing the card. His stone-cold tone shut everyone up that they would not say but not even one word on the way back.

"Li-san, Kinomoto-san. What exactly happened?" Asked Terada-sensie in the ambulance. None of them knew what to say but inside after teaching Kinomoto since she was nine or so he had known that she was no ordinary girl. At the hospital Sakura was put to sleep but was not let out.

"Merry Christmas Sakura-chan!!" greeted Tomoyo with a huge wrapped box. "I'm sorry if everyone else couldn't come. Your father and brother told me they would come later and Syaoran, Meilin as well as Darius went to the dance but they promised they will come visit too."

"Oh." she sighed in disappointment. She really wanted for Syaoran to visit her. The Hospital was no fun place to be.

"I made you some hot chocolate since I know the hospital food must be displeasing to you. Don't worry Sakura-chan you'll be leaving soon and be able to go on with your life."

"Arigato Tomoyo-chan. I hope you're right. Every morning all they do is come and give me a blood test. My temperature starts rising every night. What's more nerve wrecking is that I know that card is still out there somewhere." Sakura told Tomoyo between sips of chocolate as Tomoyo fixed Sakura's hair and put a little make up on her. Just because she was sick didn't mean she had to look like it.

"Remember what Syaoran-kun said Sakura-chan, you can't be thinking about that yet or else you'll never regain you strengths." Tomoyo placed the giant gift on her lap. "Gomen, Sakura-chan but I must be going I have to go to the Winter Dance, you know how those student organizations are."

"Hai, Tomoyo-chan don't worry." Sakura reached out for a hug to her friend. The minute Tomyo-chan left, Sakura gently unwrapped her present before her as Tomoyo exited the door. Sakura pulled out a gorgeous white scarf, with wool on the inner side to keep her warm and silk on the outer side of the scarf.

. A slight chilly wind came from the window. Sakura, holding the IV machine went to close it, as she headed back to her bed there were a pair of white cherry blossom flowers with the stems around a small green box. "Hoee!!!" She gently placed the gold ring with a cherry blossom stone on her finger. "Arigato, Li-kun"

"How did you know I was here?" Syaoran said sitting on the windowsill. His hair tousled by the wind yet made him look radiant as ever.

"By you're aura silly. Arigato Syaoran I know how you hate the cold and yet you came here to visit me on Christmas eve." She sat on her bed looking at him. "I was hoping to give this to you today, Merry Christmas."

Syaoran received the box with much care. I'm sorry about before Kinomoto, I didn't think I would be back in Japan. I never even got to read your letters."

"It's okay. I didn't have anything important to say either way." She twiddled with the Cherry Blossom leaves. "Why white cherry blossoms?"

Syaoran had already left out of the window. White Cherry Blossoms? Tomoyo once had told her that pink cherry blossoms meant new love, youth. But white meant to wait for something. Perhaps Syaoran wanted her to wait for him? "That's absurd. I doubt he would know what a white flower meant."

Alex: I can't believe I took this long to edit Chapter 3. Well it's slightly different than the one before I noticed that I left alot out. I have the whole plot figured out so I had to go back and add some things in. Some of you may not know what ichor means. Ichor is a type of blood that is said to go through the greek gods. I thought it was a good metaphor. And about the part where Sakura is trying to contact Syaoran. It's sort of like Professor Xavier (X-men) where he uses Cerebro to find a mutant. Only that Sakura obtained that magical ability thanks to Kero-chan. Before she lost conscienceness, she found Syaoran but she was still connected with the others. That's why everyone heard her. So yes that's my explanation incase you did not understand. As for the flowers. You know how each flower's color means something? Hmm.. a little foreshadowing. Arigato to all my readers who keep motivating me you don't know how much your R&Rs inspire me.


	4. The Eye of Ra

Chapter 4

The Eye of Ra 

It was a week at most after Christmas. Syaoran woke up that morning with his hair all messy and his face with marks that shown he had been moving a lot in bed. Once again he had dreamt with his father, though he consistently forgot what about.

The shirt Sakura gifted him for Christmas was visible even though it was tucked in his wardrobe. Thankfully, Sakura was no longer in the hospital, the doctors sent her home in crunches.

Putting on his warmest forest green PJs, the Chinese juvenile went out into the living room. There laid his cousin sound asleep in the couch, her hand lightly grasping a book.

"Meilin!" Syaoran called out.

Meilin woke up showing the title of the book. "Good morning Syaoran!" She exclaimed as she stretched her arms.

"The Lost Night?" Syaoran read. "Why are you reading that?"

"Oh this? Don't you know Syaoran, it's what everyone is reading so I thought I might see what it was about. I don't blame everyone reading it. The author is so intriguing with her love, gory, and suspenseful tone throughout the book. "

"Really Meilin, you should be a critic for a newspaper." Syaoran sarcastically remarked. "Doesn't matter, that's just nonsense as if such a thing would happen."

The phone rang. "Moshi Moshi Li residence." Meilin answered. "Good, how are you Sakura-chan? Really? Of course we'll go."

Syaoran took away the phone from Meilin. "Sakura, you know your not suppose to walk around with those crunches."

"In fact I can, besides I'm going to the doctor today so he can confirm that I don't need them anymore. Tomoyo helped me walk today and I walked just fine." Sakura said sounding a bit annoyed that Syaoran thought her to be weak.

"Well if you say so but don't come telling me to heal you when your in pain."

"So you coming or not?" She raised her voice a bit.

"I don't know, I have a lot of homework to do."

Meilin looked at Syaoran with a sneaky look. She put on the speaker phone and shouted. "Actually Sakura, Syaoran finished all his homework in his room and stayed until midnight doing it so of course we'll go."

"Meilin!" Syaoran shouted. And hanged up so Sakura could hear no more.

"What? You were lying besides it's the birthday of Sakura's father. You once said you wanted to go to the Kinomoto residence to see some artifacts perhaps this is your chance. I don't know why you've been avoiding her since Christmas." Meilin said suspiciously.

"I haven't your just making things up." He said trying no to think about Christmas Eve. _Hopefully Sakura won't ask about the flowers._

"Kawai!" Tomoyo shouted. While shooting her camera at Sakura. "Your father will be so happy to see his only daughter looking so kawai on his birthday."

"Wow Sakura I can't believe you recovered that fast. So the doctor said you don't need the crunches?" Meilin asked.

"Hai!! It hurts sometimes so I have to take pain relievers but I'm all right now!" Sakura happily skipped around her house while she was waiting for the cake to bake. "And no more eating healthy I'm eating all the junk food I can eat!"

"Which means junk food for me!!" Kero-chan joined in.

"Sakura just watch your calories okay? Especially since your body is healing and then I will have to remeasure you and your outfits won't fit." Tomoyo commented heartily.

"Shh everyone! Otou-san is coming." Sakura closed the curtains. Everyone hid behind the furniture.

Fujitaka Kinomoto opened the door followed by Touya, Yukito and other Scholars from where he worked at. "Surprise! Happy Birthday Kinomoto-sensie!" Everyone exclaimed.

Surprised, Fujitaka went up to Sakura. "Arigato Sakura-chan."

Sakura bowed to her father. "You deserve this, otou-san."

Noon came and everyone had enjoyed the cooking of Tomoyo and surprisingly Sakura's. Syaoran was intensely listening to Fujitaka's talk about the latest artifact his friends had acquired from Egypt. In his hands, Syaoran gazed at the ancient tablet with the eye of Ra. "What does this represent?"

"We don't know everything about it but so far we know that it was used as a sort of punishment. The eye of Ra, pertaining to the Sun god is known to see everything. Nothing is hid from him. He can misplace, or disappear what he finds fitting but he only has power during the day. Those who disobeyed would disappear from his sight.

"Hey is it me or is a swing missing?"Meilin asked the group. Sakura and Tomoyo accompanied her and Meilin home.

"It's just you." Syaoran commented without looking.

"No she's right there was a swing there before." Tomoyo finally said. She looked around not only was the swing missing but the slide and everyone's mailbox and even some windows.

"The card is on the loose again." The minute Sakura said that, a woman figure with golden hair and a gold cloak appeared. She had sharp eyes, sharp enough to cut your insides.

"Meilin!" Syaoron shouted after Meilin and Tomoyo disappeared.

"Sakura!" Darius came, blocking Sakura with his majestic staff.

"Stop!" A distant female voice shouted.

Getting prepared in a martial arts position, Syaoran searched for the owner of the voice.

A girl dressed all in black came walking from a side of the park. The only thing you can see from her was a chain with a cross. She came closer to into the light. Raven hair and clear pale blue eyes. Her hair covered half the eye of one side of her face. She had a lot of black bracelets on both of her wrists. Her face seemed pale, one with a lot of worries, and a body that was well prepared to defeat anything.

"You won't defeat it that way." The girl said in a stern voice. She took out her sword, throwing a stone into the air the ebony sword touched the tip, sending a blast of dark orbs directly to the force.

"Spirits of the ancient world I Sakura you mistress command you, be sealed. Sakura card!" Sakura chanted. But the force was not defeated only sent away.

Everyone directed their stare at the raven girl.

"Himura, Jeska." The girl replied their stares, "I know who you all are, no need for introductions,

I've been watching you guys."

"Aren't you the new girl in the other class?" Darius, observant as ever, asked.

"Exactly." She said, "I come from Taiwan. I'm here to support the Card Mistress needs." She looked at Sakura and kneeled down, her eyes humbling to the floor. "I will help you win these battles but not the war." Jeska stood up and walked away, leaving all of them dumb folded.

Slowly the figures of Meilin and Tomoyo started to appear. "Sakura!" Tomoyo shouted as she came running, giving her best friend a hug she started to cry.

"What's wrong Tomoyo, did something bad happen?" Sakura asked.

"I didn't get to record the scene where you capture the card." Tomoyo whined.

"Ms. Kinomoto!" the sensie yelled. "Hoe!" Sakura shot right up.

"Ms. Kinomoto this is the last time I will catch you daydreaming. Now what is the answer to the equation on the board?"

"Um..." Just when the teacher was going to send her to detention the bell rang.

Sakura was relieved. She already had to many things on her mind. She took a quick glance at Syaoran. He had his eyes fixed on the girl he was talking to. Her name was Rein. Rein the conqueror they called her because she would have any guy she wanted. And it was obvious she wanted Syaoran. Sakura passed him without saying a word.

Jeska spotted her and smiled. "What are you doing after school?" she asked. Sakura, not paying much attention to her but glancing at Syaoran who seemed to be very interested in what Rein was saying. "Me and Tomoyo are going to go the Penguin Park today. You want to come along?"

Jeska stayed speechless for a moment but then opened her mouth. " I would love too!"

"Great! Then we'll meet you after school." Sakura looked at Jeska as she left then turned around to see if Syaoran was there. To her surprise he wasn't. Sakura frowned as she turned around ready to go to her class. But as she did someone bumped into her and made her books fall. "Oh I'm so sorry," Sakura tried to say not looking who it was as her tears slowly slipped out. It was all Syaoran's fault. Just when she thought that they were getting to know each other again he had to be flirting with the biggest flirt in school. She tried to wipe away her tears but someone else did.

She looked up and there was Darius with the most concerned look. "Sakura, you know I hate seeing you like this. You never know when someone may be falling in love for your smile."

Darius just stared into her emerald eyes as he wiped away her tears.

"I'm going to be late for class." he said. He gave her a strong, quick embrace and headed towards his class. " I'll meet you after school hope you'll feel better by then." Darius shouted out before entering his class room. Sakura didn't know what had possessed her, she had cried for no reason. Then again what did "someone might be falling in love with your smile" mean? Was Darius kidding around with her. She hated being so naive. Well it was 10 minutes that classes had already begun so she might as well have cut the rest of the day.

She walked out of the building and spotted the perfect place where she would be able to think. She sat on the bench and admired the left over snow. It still had the white innocence of it's color. Soon it would be spring and all the snow would soon be gone. Sakura looked up at the sky as she noticed something different. There was mist all around here. "Not again." she said as she remembered what had happened the last time there was mist. The sky became dark and Sakura felt coldness take over her body. She could feel the warmth of her cards fading from her soul. They were becoming more lifeless by the minute. Sakura felt too weak to stand up. As she looked around her there was no longer mist there was just a pitch black darkness all around her.

She began to run. Run towards anywhere, any place was better than the one she was in right now.

As she ran she came closer to two figures. One, her mother just like she had seen her the last time.

"He's so cute!" Nadeshiko squealed. She sounded like a little girl. Sakura's father did say she was very childish yet also clumsy at times.

Aya looked at Nadeshiko half smiling, "Well I guess your right and I barely have interest in guys." Sonomi and Nadeshiko looked at each other and giggled.

"You, Ms I dont-believe-in-love thinks he's cute." Sonomi teased.

Aya just glared at her for a second. But then she giggled with the rest of them and put her walkman on. All of a sudden there was a scene change. Sakura could see Aya and the new transfer student Yuhi Toshiwa teasing with each other and what appeared to be a great time. But as Nadeshiko passed by Yuhi took a deep glance at her and Aya was a bit ticked but then changed her expression. Who would have known. Yuhi was good looking. He had very similar looks compared to Darius-kun. Almost exactly alike. All of a sudden there seemed to be another gap between time. And Sakura could see her mother hold hands with Toshiwa. He was smiling but Nadeshiko seemed to be forcing a smile as if somehow she was disappointed. Behind them Sakura could see Aya trying to hide her tears. Yuhi dropped Nadeshiko at her house but she stayed outside and waited for Aya to pass by.

"What's the matter Aya you look sick." Nadeshiko said as she tried to comfort her friend. Aya grabbed her friend and hugged her tight. "Why must it hurt?" she said between her sobs. "I've never felt like this towards anyone before."

"Aya, were not going out silly. He's just taking pictures of me. And he only hold my hand to see how you would react. I was going to tell you but he saw you and grabbed my hand immediately."

She wiped away her tears and made her stand up. "Come on dinner's ready inside."

The vision faded.

Sakura was back at her school. It seemed like time had flown by so quickly since everyone was coming out of school. As she turned around Darius was running towards her. " Sakura!" he kept yelling.

"What's wrong?" she asked a bit surprised.

"I..felt an aura around here" he tried to say between breaths from the running. Sakura looked up at him and smiled one of those blissful smiles. Which was perfect, the wind slowly picked up her hair behind her.

Darius noticed this and smiled back at her as he played with her hair. " You know Sakura, you really are beautiful." Trying to change the subject Sakura told Darius what had happened. "I know you know about our parent's past, yet why didn't you tell me?"

Darius shrugged and kept his eyes lowered. Didn't she know how painful it was to talk about his mother. It was so long ago yet it hurt him. Deep inside he only knew what had happened between his mother and Nadeshiko, the horrible fight they had and how both of them ended with the same curse which had killed both of them. "Sakura I know you must know about this but I can't talk about it now. Please maybe later."

This made Sakura confused but her curiosity demanded knowledge. "Why not! I need to know she's my mother! I need to know the truth! You don't know how it hurts to know nothing about your mother not even remember moments with her. I just had a vision of my mother and yours!

Why cant you tell me more, why do you have to be so hidden and not show your feelings and emotions to others. Why must you keep everything inside!" Sakura yelled. For the first time she had felt so hurt. Placing a hand over her mouth she tried to cover up what she had just said. "I'm sorry Darius-kun I didn't know what I was saying please forgive me."

Darius just shook his head. "No forgive me, but it is very easy for some one who hasn't felt pain to say that."

He turned away and started walking towards the gates little did both know that Syaoran, Meilin, and Tomoyo were coming towards them. Sakura feeling guilty ran towards Darius. "You're right I haven't felt much pain or loneliness, maybe my life was always simple but ...I do know what pain is." She shuttered.

Pain. The word itself is hard to say and hard to describe. It's something you do not want to have yet in the end you always acquire it. As Sakura looked at Darius with stubborn eyes she saw something. One so deep that she could hardly tell. All his pain through all those years had been kept inside for an awful long time now. He was a bottle that kept his emotions inside and kept filling it, finding every space to fill it with.

And then tightly shut it again. And she saw this. For once she felt like she knew him. A bit too much. And for a moment a memory flashed in her mind.

Flash Back -Years ago

"Mommy, where's my papa?" asked chibi Darius.

Aya looked at her son intensely and confused, she wasn't prepared to answer that question. "Your father is waiting for you in the underworld honey."

Darius with a bewildered face and questioned her no more. He sat in his room, both hands cupping his cheeks and a Father's day card at the bottom of his foot.

Alex- I don't think I have to explain much here. The eye of Ra artifact is not true (sorry guys). And Fujitaka's b-day in January 3rd so I thought what the heck lets put it in here. R&R please guys!


	5. The other me

Chapter Five The Other Me

To keep a secret it takes your whole energy and strength. It's like a never ending pain that you have to keep forever and for as much as you want it to go away it'll be with you always. Just from a secret your life can be horrible maybe even a living hell. The pain is so strong that you can even go up to the point of hurting yourself. But you don't know what's on the other side so you'll have to live your hell on Earth. Life itself is one complicated rule we all have to go through. But not everyone's life is the same. Some maybe perfect then you lose someone, others maybe horrible but at the end they find happiness. But for others it just never ends. Every step and turn you take there are only memories of the past. Each flame comes back to haunt you.

It's weird how she saw the memory of Darius's. His mother was really beautiful and those were wise words she had told him. And the unwise words Sakura herself had blown in his face.  
Hidden, she had said to him. She had no right to demand what was not of her concern. But he was her concern. In fact why must he have to keep everything to himself? Always looking cheerful on the outside and always hiding everything in the inside. But at least he showed some emotion even though inside he was something else. Unlike Syaoran on the other hand who didn't show no emotion whatsoever. He doesn't show happiness nor sadness. Nor joy of pain. Only on the rarest moments did he show a bit of affection. Especially over his cousin. Syaoran's behavior was easy to know the cause of it. Though it was because of her he had to train in China. He didn't even have his own childhood. And she felt like it was all her fault.

" Kaijou! Wake up!" Touya called from downstairs.

Though he didn't know she was awake since midnight and didn't have much of sleep Sakura took her alarm clock and threw it on the floor just incase he had to come up stairs to check on her.  
Some things are not meant for him to know. The flying teddy bear was still in his small bed cuddling and dreaming about cupcakes. But unlike her she couldn't dream of anything. The only images she had in her mind were her Mother and Kei's. Also Jeska was in her mind a lot lately.  
There was such loneliness inside of her. She still hadn't known much about her she kept herself very distant, she had no right to judge her. But the thing that came up to her the most was the thought of the Egyptian Amaya cards. There was just this deep fear inside of her that made her get really scared. They seemed very dangerous and for one thing she had learned from Kero is to never mess with ancient Magic. Especially with Egyptian magic. But it was her responsibility, her job. She checked her hip to see if it were healing at least. And it was. Though the scar would stay with her forever. She was so afraid back then too. She almost lost her life and if it wasn't for Syaoran that came in time she would have been dead. But what then? What about everyone else, would Syaoran have to take over her job of Card Captor? Or would have everything just have ended just like that in a snap of a finger? To her, death didn't seem the answer but still she didn't want to deal with everything that her past had mistakenly done. But her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of her room door opening. It was Toya. He came in her room and stood there looking at her. "What?" Sakura asked.

"What's wrong with you? Why haven't you slept the whole night?"

How could he know? How? Why did he always outsmart her? "How did you know?"

"For one you didn't scream 'Hoee' this morning, second you have no energy to even talk, and third you just admitted smart one."

"Figures.." Sakura whispered under her breath. Her brother knew her to well. But he didn't say much and left the room leaving her alone. Just a few seconds passed and she jumped out of the bed. If she was going to do something right she could at least go to school. She needed to stop being a coward and accept her responsibility.

She didn't know what was wrong with her but lately she didn't care about anything and all she did was sit on her bed. not really thinking about anything or feeling anything. She puts on her uniform and looked into the mirror.

Who was that person starring right back at her?

The figure in front of her looker just like her only pale.

Who is she, and what has she done to me?

The girl in the mirror grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her in.

"Don't be afraid", she whispered, "I am only you." As Sakura entered to the other side of the mirror, she entered a different reality. She could see nothing because of the fact she could only see black. In front of her was the figure that was there before. She was just like her only the girl had her hair tied up, her clothes were all black and silver jewelry all over her wrists and neck, and ears. Sakura was trying to recap of everything that just happened. Was her mind playing tricks on her, how could she have passed right through the mirror? Where exactly was she? "How can this be, how can there be another me?"

"Of course there can be another you" the girl responded, "With out me your unbalanced, without me there wouldn't even be a you." The girl got closer to her and placed her hands upon her face "  
We are in your inner self."

"My inner self?" Sakura repeated.

"Yes and my name is Kyoto"

" Is it because of you I've been feeling like this? Feeling so empty inside. I can't feel nothing I feel so emotionless." Kyoto shook her head. "No, it's not because of me I've always been here. Your in for a secret.  
Every time you capture a card let's just say it has it' s own side effect. You have just captured the Missing. And your still suffering from the side effect of the Mau. The Mau lowered you self esteem making you feel like a coward. The Fear made you feel more afraid made you feel wounded, And for the last card The Missing has made you lose control of your own emotions. It has affected your inner self. Making me more dominant. But don't worry it's not permanent. As long as you discover yourself. If you discover your thoughts within the corner of your mind. Only by this little sacrifice will you have the full authority to claim the Cards your. Only then will you truly be proven to rightfully be called the Mistress of the cards."

Corners of my mind? Nothing made sense. "Will I ever see you again?"

Kyoto placed her hand into Sakura's and gazed into her eyes. " If you ever want to see me again then I suggest you finding the meaning of my name." She disappeared and with a blink of an eye.  
Sakura found herself back in her room. She checked herself in the mirror again but she saw no reflection. She didn't see herself. "Find myself?" She wondered. What exactly was that supposed to mean. She joined her hands and noticed that Kyoto had left something in her hand. Carefully she looked what was on her hand and saw the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. It had the most beautiful emerald gem that blended with her eyes. The design was unique with swirls of silver dancing around the gem. Though the chain was a very thin and delicate silver. But if you looked very closely at the gem you could see glowing stars and cherry blossom petals dancing about. "A gift for me" Sakura heard Kyoto whisper in her mind. Didn't matter for now, what mattered was that she was late for school again. 

As she came to her math class she scanned for her seat. "Kinomoto, late again!" The Sensie yelled. Sakura just took a quick glance at her and walked right passed her. She sat down quietly and took out her notebook and began to write what was on the board. The teacher was furious but she continued her lesson either way. All eyes were on Sakura. She'd never acted like that before. With no one. Tomoyo noticed the differences that been taking place in Sakura's mind and for some reason she felt like Syaoran would be the one who could really help her.

The bell rang and everyone walked out of class. Syaoran was headed toward Sakura but Darius beat him there. "What's wrong?" he asked her careful not to break into another argument like the other day. Sakura had her eyes fixed on her necklace and quietly said " I must find myself, by myself." "Sakura lately you've been behaving odd. If there is something you need just let it out. I hope it has nothing to do with our argument the other day."Darius gave her a reassuring smile and Sakura tried to do the same. But as Kyoto said she remained emotionless. Darius secretly feared that Sakura was finding out the secrets of her inner mind. The secret he secretly shares too. For the time being he could not say. Like she said she needed to find herself by herself. Darius left her alone until this was over. He was pretty sure she would look for him when she found out the truth. Tomoyo remained from the group of people outside in the hallway. "Sakura-chan...seeing you like this just hurts me more. You don't know how much pain I feel right now. Tomoyo aproached her friend and hugged her with all her might. Tomoyo-chan Sakura thought. Her feelings for Tomoyo would never change she knew how she felt about her. She loved her. She was her best friend and no matter the circumstances she was always there by her side. She knew her to well and always looked out for her. But where has it all gone? She felt frustrated in this emotionless state. Now wasn't the moment to think about those things she had to get to class and she avoided Tomoyo and left her standing. 

She was emotionless, not feeling warm inside neither cold. Just plain emotionless. She didn't feel nothing and she was aware of that. Though friendship may be strong the inner depth was stronger for now. She had to discover her true feelings of life but now she didn't feel anything. It was impossible for her to think without having feelings. She remembered what she had called Darius.  
Emotionless. Yet she shouldn't be talking now. Her words came to bite right back at her. 

She stared at the chalk board as if looking to find answers there. All of suddenly she remembered what she had in her hand. The necklace. She looked at it really closely now and found a glowing silver inscription along the emerald gem. "Shall everything you do be done with love." For a second her eyes were hypnotized by the dancing swirls of petals and the silver glowing inscription. "With love?" she wondered. She was being hypnotized again by the swirls but was interrupted by a sudden voice in her head. "You must find it's meaning." she heard Kyoto's smooth voice sing in her mind.  
As she heard this she thought of Syaoron. The moments they had shared side by side in combat as he helped her defeat Eriol. There was no ache, no pain. Nothing. But hadn't she loved Syaoran before? Hadn't she always cried for him for hurting her so? But then what is love? Why does love hurt us yet without it we hurt even more. Why do humans seek this knowing it will hurt them. Syaoran who had been sitting on the other end of the class noticed something different about Sakura. He no longer felt the same warmth of the pinkish aura he was use to feeling. But instead he felt as unusual glow. A grayish one. It was nor black nor white but gray. What has gotten into her lately? She had been acting strange. What happened to the Sakura he would see with that sweet smile and that cherry blossom face. All he saw now was her face all pale and full with emptiness. Was this his fault? Oh Sakura, she kept slipping out of his reach until finally he wouldn't be able to reach her any longer.  
Sakura's mind kept wondering during class. Until she didn't notice that she wasn't in the classroom anymore.

"Great where am I now?"

She noticed herself in a familiar palace. The same palace she had the last ancient vision before.  
Sakura heard two distant voices behind her. One clearly was Amaya's and she clearly recognize her figure. But standing next to her was a young man. Near the same age. By the way he was holding Amaya's hand she was guessing it was Lusheye. Amaya's lover. Lusheye was extremely handsome. And something of him reminded her of Kei. The eyes. Though the hair color was different because his was black and his eyes were amber. But this man had grace of life. Darius only had fear and emotions behind laughter. "You don't understand, my uncle Reed doesn't want the magic mixed any longer. Just like what my mother did. Therefore he doesn't want us to be together."

Lusheye stood there gazing into Amaya's eyes. " I don't want to lose you. Please don't do this to me, don't hurt me this way." He pulled her wrist towards him as he embraced her like he never did before. He inhaled her sweet scent. The scent of jasmine. Her innocence made her so attractive especially under the rays of the sun. He loved her. And he didn't want to be part of a world where there was no Amaya. There would be no point in living. No point to have the privilege to breathe the air of this world. Amaya's lips slowly spoke words. " You knew that I was Card Mistress. You knew my duty, my responsibility. Yet worst of all you knew my Uncle and you knew how he felt about this."

"Is it my fault now?" Lusheye spoke a bit harsh. " I was only young and a servant of your Father.  
Am I to blame for because I fell in love with you? Is it all my fault you are expecting my child?"

"No I don't blame anyone. I wish we both could raise this child as we should with no fear. And not hiding. Oh Lusheye do you realize how much I love you. There are no words to express these feelings that I have for you. These feeling are so strong that I don't know how to control them. I don't want to live in fear from my Uncle." 

"Then don't." Lusheye pressed his soft gentle lips on Amaya's. It seemed as though as time had stopped. But that moment didn't last. As the sun's rays expanded towards the both east and west the colors of the sun changed into a reddish color, the moon slowly rising. And this was when a hand grabbed Amaya from the back and pushed her against a pillar. She yelled in pain as her back soar. Lusheye tried to help her but he was also pushed back but with a staff pressed against his throat. It was Clow Reed's staff. Amaya turned around to notice her Uncle was fighting against her love. She tried hard to defend him with her magic but apparently she was to weak at the moment. Amaya looked up at him , Lusheye's eyes had no soul in them anymore. He was empty. Without a soul the body itself was useless. "Noo! Lusheye!" Amaya ran to hold him in her arms. "Lusheye.." Her eyes were full of anger. Full of rage. "You killed him.  
Damn you Clow Reed you will you regret the day you ever met Amaya Reed."

"If there is anyone who should regret this it's you." Clow Reed and his arrogance left the balcony.  
Lusheye was the only one who was always there for her when her Father had passed away. The one who taught her so much. She loved him so much and now he was gone. Damn Clow Reed someday the biggest revenge would fall upon him. If not now, it will someday. Her days were calculated already. For every women who mixed the blood in the Reed line was cursed from way before. She ran her fingers through Lusheye's hair. Soon she would be with him again. But her soul won't rest with Clow Reed going about. Atleast not with any of his line going on about. Her cards contained the mysteries of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. They would fall upon the world someday if they were ever to be open again. 

Sakura's eyes fluttered open. So it wasn't Clow Reed who sealed the cards away. It was Amaya.  
The Amaya Cards contained the Egyptian Clow Cards which had been passed down from Clow Reeds past generation. Sakura had noticed herself standing in front of the class. Immediately her head became dizzy. Having those visions took up all her energy. Her body couldn't hold her no more and the cherry blossom fluttered down to the floor.

Sakura's eyes fluttered open once more as she found herself in a room that was white. A room that was silent. A room that was cold. Cold, but her hand was warm. A hand was holding hers. "Sakura."Syaoran said. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know Syoaran, I feel like there's a confusion so deep inside of me, like a cloud covering all my feelings." She looked up to him this time. "Syaoran, I don't know what I feel anymore.  
Like what I'm so suppose to do, why I was chosen to do this job. It takes up all my energy." Frustrated as she was it was the first time she opened up herself since all her troubles started.  
And it felt good.

"Sakura, I admit that I myself was like that at some point. When I thought that everything was predestined and we didn't have a path to choose. Why did destiny pick me to be in the clan and do what I do now. But I accepted it and do what I have to. I know how you feel. I use to feel the same way, like if there were a cloud covering my mind. That I hid myself from the world. So that I wouldn't have to deal with everyone else. No one is perfect so you should accept whatever comes your way and make the best of it. But for now take a rest alright"  
He was right. Sleeping was the best thing to do right now. And so she did. But as she drifted away once more. She found herself in a familiar place. Once more she found herself in the Old Tomoeda. The one her mother grew up and met her father. She passed by another house and spotted Aya.. She being happy that she finally had achieved the true love of her life. Not wanting to let go of him ever and she would do anything for him. Just like Amaya felt about Lusheye. Aya was so in love that love was blinding. That same day as she was ready to go to school. She noticed a figure next to her. Surprised at the sudden appearance she moved back. Only to see Amaya the one and only who hasn't slept in peace. With a cloak around her she presented herself to Aya.

"Amaya" Aya gasped.

"Don't be surprised. You know what you have to do. Nadeshiko is one of Clow Reeds chosen ones and she will bare a child that will serve for Clow Reed's purposes. And where will we be at? Destroyed. Aya you have to kill Nadeshiko if you don't Clow Reed will destroy us. You hear me Aya?" Amaya's spirit howled.

Aya understood what Amaya was telling her. She knew that this day had to come sooner or later.  
But Nadeshiko and Sonomi were her bests friend.

" I cant do it. Even if her daughter were to destroy me I could never kill Nadeshiko."

"You traitor!" Amaya, about to destroy her own reincarnation stopped. She had a better idea that way not all was lost. Amaya being a spirit had an advantage of overpowering Aya. By casting her soul and body to be separate. Once that occurred Amaya took over Aya's body doing whatever she pleased. And eliminating Nadeshiko would please her very much. She walked out of the house heading towards where Nadeshiko lived. Sakura seeing what had happened in the past curiously followed her. But little did she know that even though her mind and body weren't connected her body was unconsciously moving leading her out of the nurse's room to the edge of a cliff by the road. As Syaoran had cut class miserably worried about Sakura he had decided to visit her at the nurses office. To his great surprise she was no where to be found. Asking desperately where she was the nurse confused, didn't know where she had gone. Quickly Syaoran ran out of the office running towards her house as fast as he could. I hope she's alright she shouldn't be out in her condition, he thought. When he finally reached her house he jumps into her room through her window but also Sakura wasn't there. He looked around to see if there was anything that could help him find her but only Kero was found. "Brat, what are you doing here invading my mistress' privacy?"

"Dumb stuffed animal, has Sakura been her?" he frantically asked out of breath.

" No, wait let me think , no it's probably because she's at school learning unlike some other people." Kero sarcastically stated.

Syaoran did not have time for nonsense especially to argue with a stuffed animal. " She's not in school she left and I have no idea where she could be. She has been acting weird lately like you say something to her and she has no reaction to it. The last time I saw her she was talking about not having feelings of some sort of feeling clouded and confused very deep inside" Kero nodded, though he hated to admit the brat was right it was true.

" Yeah your right she has and this morning she was standing there starring at her mirror for the longest time. It was very un Sakura like. So I drifted to sleep."

"Mirror?"Syaoran asked. He stood up and looked at the mirror but instead of seeing his reflection he was greeted by Kyoto.

"Sakura?" Syaoran gasped. Kyoto shook her head in delight.

"No, Kyoto." Just like she had done to Sakura before she grabbed for his hand, dragging him into the mirror, into the cherry blossom's inner soul. And just like Sakura had Syaoran could see nothing but an endless dark void. "Who are you?"

Dancing lightly in the air she twirled around him. "I'm Kyoto, I'm Sakura's other self, her inner self. Only unlike her I remain emotionless too keep the joyful balance of her outer self, there must be bad for there to be good, there should be dark for there to be light. I know everything about Sakura of course since I am her." She paused for a moment placing her finger on his lips enjoying the pleasure of his warmth.  
"I see the Young wolf is truly handsome my, my, the cherry blossom does have good taste." At this comment Syaoran felt slightly uncomfortable. Noticing the slight moment of silence Kyoto changed the subject into more important matters.

" I have something you want...something your seeking. Truth. Am I not right little wolf?"

"Where's Sakura?" he yelled. She was trying his patience.

"Patience my young wolf, patience. I'm also concerned about her very much this is why I brought you here in her inner self so I can speak to you the truth. Only so much that Sakura is willing to say the rest for her to decide if she will tell you or not."

"Go on"

" I'm a spirit, well sort of and I know what is around me more than humans can ever notice.  
There's a hunch about collecting the Egyptian Amaya cards. For each one you capture each value you shall suffer. And the value our cherry blossom is suffering right now is the control of her own emotions. She's been hold so much inside that it's hard for her to control what she feels that she has ended not feeling anything. She had lost the sweet innocence and has to discover on her own what her feelings are for everyone, including you. This won't be permanent unless she find it in due time only will then the card be truly hers when she has shown her inner strength and mind to over power the cards she has a right to call hers."

" I never knew this was happening, why didn't she tell me?"

"Because she only relies on herself for now she does not know who to trust. Yet I fear she's in the worst of dangers now. Her own life is playing at stake and is playing with the fact she is a thread away in losing it."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

" My sweet other self is unconsciously moving through the visions she's having she moving without knowing her body is and for that matter she is about to lose her life if she doesn't wake up to reality soon enough. You' ll find her at the edge of a cliff near the road about lets say half an hour from here. " She had the most miscellaneous smile dancing on her face.

"Why are you smiling like that" he demanded.

"I know you'll be there in time for I know what is in your inner soul also, a sweet spot for a certain blooming flower who has to be awakened to all these feelings. Take care of her for me little wolf for if she disappears so do I for we are one together. But please do not hurt her for if you do you will be hurting me as well. She giggled in a flirty way and placed her hands in his. Be strong for the final battle between you and yourself is near. Hurry for time is slipping out of your fingers." She disappeared and everything went back to normal. He jumped out the window and started running towards the end of the road. Oh Sakura please be okay, he hoped.

It was a really long way down the road. One jump and everything you ever knew in your life disappears. The wind whistled through her hair making a chill run down her spine. Not yet conscious about her body moving towards the edge of the cliff. At the same time her spirit was watching the struggle between Aya and Amaya. As Aya had approached the cliff she saw Nadeshiko waiting for her.

"So what is it? Is there something the matter?" Nade asked worried for her.

Amaya in Aya's body smiled dangerously. "Your so guilable." Amaya chuckled. She grabbed Nadeshiko's wrist and pushed Nadeshiko off the cliff. Luckily for her she grabbed unto the edge of a rock.

"Aya! What's gotten into you!" Nade shouted, trying to grasp for air.

"Fool I am not Aya! I'm Amaya, mistress of the Egyptian Clow Cards."

Nade gasped in surprise. She knew of Amaya. Aya was part Egyptian and followed the decadency of all the Egyptian wizards. Nadeshiko was the only one who had the power to stop Amaya and if not her if the prophecy was correct her daughter would also have the ability to.  
Nadeshiko closed her eyes for a miracle to happen. Amaya raised her foot aiming it right at Nadeshiko's hand. But exactly that moment Aya rushed into her body gaining control of it. Nade noticed tears rushing out of her eyes.

"Nade" Aya sobbed as she lifted Nade off of the edge. "RUN! Save yourself, I can't control my body for long." she cried. Nadeshiko could have ran if she wanted to but she didn't.

"Im not. Im staying right here with you." She tried picking Aya up but didn't succeed. Amaya returned to Aya's body once more.

Only this time she threatened Nade with long poisonous claws ready to strike. She was anticipating the pleasure of ripping through her flesh. "Finally Clow Reed I will get my revenge"  
she sang. Her claws ripped through Nade's flesh. The poison swiming into her blood stream.  
Nade backed away. Her arm stinging as the poison was sinking into her veins flowing through the rest of her body. Aya seeing her dear friend shrieking with pain went back into her body.  
Nade moved uncontrollably the poison was to much to bare. As Aya approached trying to help her, Nade accidently pushed Aya back her claws injecting poison in her leg as she fell. Both of their lives were at stake now. Both equal poisoned of hatred, anger and hurt. Amaya's soul had infused with Aya's. Now having two different personalities. This is how it all began. How all the hatred started between them both. Not because of pure hatred but because they had been poisoned Amaya's plan had back fired she still needed to get her revenge somehow. Nade poisoned wasn't enough. She wanted to hurt something more.  
And what would hurt more if the future clow master were to be destroyed. She would be hurting poor Nadeshiko as well. Seeing her only child die miserably. Even though Nadeshiko and Aya were bound to hate and death for eternity now. Aya needed the satisfaction so she could finally rest in peace.  
Sakura's body hanged like a thread near the end of the cliff. Finally as the scene had ended in her mind she opened her eyes back to reality. She found herself in the same place where Aya and her mother had fought. She was shocked how did she get here in the first place? Her legs gave in easily to the sleek dirt. Her mind went blank and she didn't have enough time to grab her key and staff. Only one hope was in her mind.

"Syaoran." she whispered. Her eyes closed as her body flew down toward her end. Where all of it ends. "I''m going to let my soul dance with the wind." 

Her hand lifted in the air as a sign of surrender. Her fingers twitched as she felt the warmth of other fingers intertwined with hers. The grip on her arms were strong g as they pulled her up. Her eyes opened to see someone's chest in front of her. To feel someone's arms around her.

"Syaoran, how did you know I was here?" she asked.

"I'll always know you are." he whispered in her ear sending electrical waves through out her body. "Don't try dancing with the wind again, I'll be Forced to dance with you."

At this he smiled but he realized he was still holding her tight afraid that she was going to die. He secretly wished they could stay like that. Wished that if they had met at some different point in life they could have been the perfect couple.

" I met Kyoto." Syaoran finally said. Heading Sakura toward her house, walking side by side.

"I know you can't have feelings for anyone and that sacrifice you have to give to capture each one of your cards but don't give up. Cause I'm here." his smile was sad but it made all the difference in the world. Sakura felt a certain warmth rising in her chest and before she knew it she had returned a smile. She now understood what Kyoto had said.

"As long as you discover yourself. If you discover your thoughts within the corner of your mind"  
Sakura felt compassion towards others, it was this love towards everyone even people she didn't know that made her Clow Mistress, this love that she was capable of forgiving and saving people's lives from the harm of evil's claws. She was capable of not using her powers for the wrong reasons.  
She finally knew why she had been chosen. And why she must keep striving. " I feel love for everyone, and I'm not giving up" Sakura faced Syaoran. Her face filled with rosy cheeks and vivid emerald eyes again.

" I'm glad your back." Syaoran said. Sakura thanked Syaoran maybe not the best way but right now she needed to talk to Kyoto. She ran up to her room ignoring her brother's presence. She faced the mirror in her room still she couldn't see her reflection.

"Find the meaning of my name.." She Kyoto's voice echo through her room.

"Kyoto, means mirror." Sakura calmly answered. Kyoto smiled from the other side. Once more she pulled her in. "That's right my little cherry blossom. I'm a mirror a mirror of you. And once more Sakura found herself back in her inner self. Kyoto sat down in thin air looking amused. "So did you uncover the secrets of your inner mind"  
Sakura's face hardened a bit. " I carry the poisonous hatred that Amaya Placed in my Mother's blood. And so does Darius. It hasn't fully developed unless I let it. I feel so much love for everyone that I won't let others get hurt because of me. And I don't want me and Darius to fight either. Now I understand why you told me that everything that I do shall be done with love.  
Because if I don't the poison will kill just like it killed Aya and my mother." Kyoto had known of this. And so did Darius but didn't want Sakura to realize this. "Love yet is a thing that keeps me going. You once asked me what was the meaning of love. Love is a feeling deep inside. A good affection towards another. It's such a good feeling that you would go through anything to do in the name of that love. I thank you for making me realize these things."

"My sweet cherry blossom. Do not worry for things that are not yet to come. All of these things that you hath said are true I shall not deny them. But they will all come in due time." Kyoto placed her hand on Sakura's chest. The only cure for the poison is inside here, in your heart.  
Don't forget my dear that when you need me all you need to do is see yourself."She giggled and everything went back to normal.  
Sakura checked herself back in the mirror. She could see her vivid emerald green eyes again. Her long auburn hair at hair side a bit messy and her grown body starring right back at her. Her face lighten up. Once more her cheerfulness stood out. Only she now knew why Darius's face always seemed hidden. Because of the secret burden he carried. Just like she did now. She jumped on her bed grabbing Kero into one huge hug.

"Where have you been? The brat came looking for you." Kero claimed her.

"Syaoran he came here?" He did say he met Kyoto. How else but by the mirror. She began to think about Syaoran what was her feelings toward Syaoran. She loved him as a friend like everyone else. But for now she left her feeling unsorted out. He was there for her when she'd wanted to give up. Who else could she trust but him. Slowly she got her phone and began to dial. 

Alex: Well I decided to change a lot of thing in the story and the name from Kei to Darius thought an Egyptian name would be better. Things in the next chapter are alittle more heated so don't miss it. 


	6. Wolf's Valentine

Chapter 6

He had almost lost her. Almost. It seemed an insignificant meaning. Yet today it had a great true meaning. Syaoran laid down on his bed staring at the ceiling. The sun was already setting. It seemed unbelievable that it wasn't long ago today that so much had happened. Silently, in his mind he thanked Kyoto for helping him find Sakura. He felt so exhausted and only thought of how Sakura might feel. Not only did she have to physically capture the cards now. But she needed to also prove herself the rightful owner of the cards. Why were things always so complicated. Why was Sakura always stuck in the middle. Despite all the years he had known Sakura he was glad it was him the one she had to be stuck in the middle with. And that they have survived this far. But even though Sakura had recovered from her emotionless state he had still felt her hiding something from him before he had left her. Hopefully she would tell him and not bare the pain herself.

Sakura waited on the other side of the line while waiting for someone to answer her call. Finally a male voice answered. ""Moshi, Moshi Li residence.""

""Syaoran-kun?"" Syaoran was surprised to hear the voice of the one he had been thinking about the whole day.

""Did you speak with Kyoto?"" He asked eager to know what had happened. Maybe Kyoto had told her something he should also know about. The question had left Sakura silent. She kept the need to cry inside. The need to tell him that she would die and there was nothing he could do to save her. Inside her she wanted to scream. She wanted for him to embrace her. She hurt of the probability that she would never see him again. But as Kyoto had said these things were to be for filled far from now. If Syaoran was ever to find out it would not be from her mouth.

""Sakura? You still there?"" Syaoran once more spoke.

""Gomen, Hai Genki Desu."" Sakura replied.

By her response Syaoran wasn''t convinced. He knew she was hiding something. He felt disappointed that she didn''t trust him enough to tell him. ""Kinomoto, what are you hiding from me that you don''t want to tell me? "" He had stabbed her as those words were heard from the other line. He hadn''t addressed her in that way since they met again. ""Why would I be hiding anything?"" Syaoran sighed. Like usual she denied the fact there was always something wrong. ""IT''s fine if you don''t want to tell me. As long as you don''t go jumping off cliffs."" Syaoran pictured Sakura blushing by now. He loved it when she did that it was why he... ""Arigato. I''ll find a way to make it up to you for all the effort you''ve helped me with.""

Effort? Is that all she thought of it as. ""Just stay out of trouble."" Yet though Sakura , Mistress of the Sakura cards had more power than any other magician in the world. Power she did not had discovered for herself yet. There was nothing she could do for him. ""Ja ne Cherry Blossom. Rest a bit for there is still more that awaits you."" He hanged up on her without letting her respond. Her chest hurt of the thought that Syaoran was upset with her. It wasn''t a matter of trust. If there was any moment of anger in her heart her poison would consume her. Making her go against her friends against her will. She didn''t feel comfortable Syaoran knowing this. It would make her look weak and she was in no position to look weak. Especially when there was still more cards to be expected to be captured.

Her thoughts drifted away from Syaoran and thought of Darius. Always with his sad look behind a smile. He tried not to have a miserable life and be eloped by anger. Didn''t want he to know because of the happiness she knew. Happiness she once knew. For the innocence she once knew. He didn''t want her to open to reality. To a reality of hate in the wold. The truth was that all this hatred began with Amaya and Clow Reed. The same Clow Reed that had given her the right of Clow Mistress. Sakura imagined how much Amaya must have hated him. How much pain and sorrow she felt for him killing the one she loved. Taking that precious gift that not everyone finds. And at least not everyone keeps. How much sadness there must have been when she slept in her death bed all alone. And yet her spirit didn''t lie in peace until she had her revenge. The only thing that kept her spirit going was her hatred. Hatred of avenging her lover. Somehow Sakura had always had to be stuck in everything. How to defeat a spirit, Sakura did not know this. Though Amaya''s hatred was much stronger she felt a need to tell her she knew how she felt. If there was anything she could do she would do it.

Kero silently looked up at his Clow Mistress. She''s always in deep thought. Not the Sakura-chan he use to know. No matter what she was always hyper. Barely ever spoke her mind anymore. It worried him so, but he didn''t dare to speak not even if the Brat, Syaoran knew much more than he did. Not even if Tomoyo knew as much as he did. He had seen Sakura grow into a fine lady during the years of Syoaran''s absence. The Cherry Blossom''s mind closed up more like a dying flower whose petals crumple up. Yet her powers increased since then. Though Sakura didn''t use her powers, afraid she might lose control of her powers like she had once.

""I''m sorry Kero-chan."" Sakura whispered not facing him. She could read his mind, knowing exactly what he was thinking about. Of course since they have developed a connection, a link to access their minds. His mind was easy to access. Yet her powers were so strong that she could block the door to her mind like an answering machine only answering the messages she wants to respond to. Sakura knew how worried he was.

""It''s just that things that are in my mind aren''t easy to put in words."" Kero frowned when she said this.

""You block your mind from me."" True.

""Sometimes the truth comes out of the dark when the light comes out. For now the light is hidden. For the time isn''t right.""

Well it was time to distract herself for the time being. Usually her life was occupied with the cards and her abilities. But soon she knew her mind would rest. Not a word came from Kero. It was still early in the afternoon. She wanted to do something. She needed to get her mind on going with society. Get her mind away from the magical world. Away from all the madness. Valentine''s Day was coming up. It was really close. Didn''t even have enough time for that. ""You know Valentine''s Day is coming up when all the great Kero''s secret admirers give him chocolate!"" Drooling over the fantasy of it. ""Hoe! I have to do shopping!""

Tomoyo and Sakura roamed the plaza to do some shopping. It was February yet still snowing. The streets were full of undying warmth of the love that couples shared. Sakura already bought Tomoyo a charm bracelet. Meilin would receive new ribbons for her buns, Kero the usual really big bow of chocolate. And though she didn''t know her well she got Jeska a heart key chain. It was easy to buy her friends key chains. After all it was also a holiday of friendships. Yet at the end when it came to Darius and Syaoran she couldn''t make up her mind in what to buy them. Both deserved something special that no one else could give them. Syaoran deserved a little something for being there for her. And she still felt bad for the grief she had cause Darius. Their mothers were friends at a young age and both her and Darius carried on a poison which would kill them one day. What she felt for Darius she wasn''t sure of it. But she knew she felt some sort of affection towards him.

They walked around the shops filled with butt naked babies, red and pink ribbons love quotes and love songs that filled the air. Couples here and there. Walking side by side. Hand in hand. Each depending the warmth from each other. Some in stores carrying teddy bears other ones cuddling in the cold. Until finally they reached a store full of explicit jewelry. It was a Chinese store. The only store without hearts or read wallpaper. Tomoyo looked around the room as if to search something. The light was low and Chinese statues stared from above. It wasn''t the only thing staring at them. Somewhere there was another presence a very disturbing one. Even though there was one Sakura still managed to fix her eyes upon a very interesting chain. A long golden chain with black, emerald beads. At the end of the chain there was a medallion. Some Chinese inscriptions were on it but she didn''t understand what it meant. It was beautiful. Something she would want to give to Syaoran. Without thinking she touched it. Tomoyo looked at her with a certain intesity.

""Sakura..I don''t think you...""

As soon as she felt the coldness of it she could feel an incredible amount of energy. She loved it and she hoped Syaoran would too.

""Be careful with that Card Mistress."" A sharp voice warned. But it didn''t seem female or male. The figure hid in the shadows. ""The possession you hold is of great price. Unless you trade it for a card?"" Tomoyo was shaking. Placing her grip on Sakura''s.

""How do you know me?"" Sakura stammered.

The figure chuckled. ""You defeated Clow, the greatest Cardmitress. Not to mention the most powerful. There are more magicians out there. And all of them know you."" Sakura''s spine gave a chill.

""So are you still willing to give up your cards?"" Tomoyo shook her head. But Sakura thought it was time for her to do a sacrifice. She called out her card. "" Do you swear under covenant that you will not use it for any evil?""

"" I swear upon it.""

The card floated to him. And disappeared into the shadows. The chain fell upon her hands. Both looked back but the store disappeared. ""Pleasure to make trade with you Card Mistress."" a voice echoed inside Sakura''s mind.

""Please don''t tell Syaoran anything that has happend today Tomoyo-chan."" If he were to find out he would go crazy on her. It was time for her to have mad a sacrifice. Even if the price was her card. A foolish bargain but something had impulse her to do it. It was a blissful feeling nothing evil. Thought the creepy guy was scary.

Tomoyo stopped. She always tried to be caring about Sakura respecting her decisions. But Sakura had been hiding a lot lately. She was suppose to be her best friend. The one to know everything about her. The one to feel sad when she''s sad to feel hurt when she''s hurt. And happy when she''s happy.

""What are you keeping from me?"" Tomoyo silently demanded.

Sakura sigh. This was it she was about to scream it all out. But she couldn''t. She wouldn''t. ""Every time I seal a card there is a part of me a value that must sacrifice. That is why I was emotionless before. I was unaware that the cards were giving me side effects. But Kyoto a spiritual being inside of me which is really me told me that it was the only way I would really prove myself as card mistress and only then will the cards will rightfully belong to me. But Kyoto also made me realize this."" it hadn''t affected her as much when she found out but now it was taking her energy to say it.

"" My fate is sealed with death. My mother and Darius'' mother carried a poison of hatred by Amaya. And so it was inherited to me and Darius. So far the poison has been tamed, it''s under control. Shall everything I do be done with love. That''s what Kyoto said. Or else it will expand and consume me. And if it does think of all the people that would be hurt. And I would no longer be able to control it cause I would be one with the poison. So far there is no cure. It will slowly expand either way. For the first time I''m not scared for myself but of what I can do to others.""

Tomoyo reached out to her friend and hugged her. ""I''m right here with you Sakura-chan."" And slowly they began to walk, Sakura retelling the scenes that had taken place before.

Syaoran reflected back to what had happened earlier. He ALMOST had lost her. Almost. But not quite. Did he love her was the question. It was possible. Though as much he hated to be ordered around but something of what his Uncle had said felt true. That they didn''t belong together. His life was in Hong Kong. Sakura''s was in Japan. He was next to Meilin now waiting for her to pick out the chocolate boxes for each of her friends. ""What are we shopping for again?"" Syaoran asked baffled of the hearts around the candy store.

""Valentine''s Day my dear Syaoran, when you get to ask Sakura out."" She grinned. "" A box for Sakura, a box Kero...""

"" Why you giving that useless, stuffed animal chocolate?"" Syaoran scowled. Feeling uncomfortable by the minute. ""Dumb butt naked arrow pointing babies, stop looking at me..."" he silently murmured.

Meilin laughed sinisterly ""I wanna see that thing get fat. He he.""

""Okay yeah that''s nice now let''s get out of here."" he said pushing Meilin out of the candy store.

They had lost track of time. It was night already the moon high up, beautifully waiting for its lover to awake and be sure the sky was guarded while the sun was asleep.

""Argh!"" Syaoran grabbed his chest tightly. ""Can''t breath, I''m burning. It''s hard to breath."" he gasped in small huffs. His chest was burning and his eyes turned brightly gray as if to match the moons. His skin was going to tear, tear right from his flesh. His throat felt dry as if hot sand was clogged up in his throat. A dark aura was saking. It was pumping like a hear in and out of him.

""Syaoran! What''s wrong?"" Meilin panicked. Sakura would know what to do. Or at least had the power to do so. She reached into his pockets but couldn''t. Syaoran had grabbed her by the arms his nails piercing in her skin. Her arms started aching. What was happening to him? As much as she hated it she kicked him. Grabbed the cell phone fast, called Sakura, and tried to hold unto Syaoran as much as possible.

In a moment Sakura arrived. Syaoran didn''t seem to recognize her. He was struggling with himself reaching out for air as when a baby does when it''s first born. He tried to hurt her but she called out the sleep. It didn''t work on him. Boiling anger was clearly shown on his face. ""My magic won''t work, oh syaoran what''s happening to you?"" sakura tried to hold in a cry.

""Well if the sleep won''t knock him out then a kick will."" Her feet rose into the air. ""Hyaah!"" hitting Syaoran''s head knocking him out in an instance.

""You sure that was something you should have done?"" Kero sarcasticlly teased.

""He''ll get over it."" Both Sakura and Meilin tried carrying him. ""Move!"" Sakura called out. As the card did her job.

Inside Syaoran''s apartment. They laid him on his bed soundly asleep. Darius was called he''d know what to do. As Syaoran''s bare chest was exposed his veins were clearly showing above his skin. Ready to burst open. Darius popped a knife out ready to cut his skin.

""No, wait what the heck are you doing."" Meilin screeched.

Darius ignored her cutting his flesh and pouring his blood into a cup. ""I need a blood sample that''s all.""

""He''s gonna definitely go after you when he wakes."" kero stated.

""Let him.""

""My head feels a little woozy. Keep me informed please Meilin."" Sakura said as she headed out the door.

""I''ll accompany you, a lady shouldn''t be alone at this hour of the night."" Darius took her arm and excused his way out.

As the two of them walked under the bright moonlight Sakura finally spoke of what she had known. ""Why didn''t you tell me we both carry a poisonous hatred inside of us?""

Darius frowned. "" Darn it. So you met Kyoto I''m assuming?""

""Oh so you know her too. Exactly how many things are you keeping from me?""

""A lot""

""Hmph""

""Your powers are increasing if you resisted to see her. Depending on your powers you can see beyond your reach. I can''t tell you things that you have to find out on your own.""

""I just hope I don''t die. I''m afraid of the unknown."" Sakura stammered.

Darius looked up at the bright stars. ""Keep hoping Cherry Blossom. Just like they do. Hope and Faith is what keep the human alive. Just like they hope to bright forever. But you know what Sakura? Even when they die. They''re reborn and there as beautiful as they were before.""

""You are th most powerful magician in the world Sakura and there are more magicians out there each and everyone of them know you. Your like a rose with thorns. So beautiful that everyone notices but not everyone dares to touch. Would you do me the honor of being my date at the dance?""

Sakura blushed so brightly that even in the dark it was impossible not to see it. ""I''m worried about Syaoran. If he''s not well I can''t go.""

""But if he is?""

""Then I''ll go""

""So do I have your word?""

""As card mistress?""

""No as Sakura""

""Alright you have my word. Good Night Pharaoh."" Sakura reached her house and went inside before Toya would notice. Pharaoh. He was named after the pharaoh Darius. Slowly she crept into the room. ""Oh Syaroan, what''s happening to you?""

Syaoran opened his eyes. ""What happened to me?"" Syaoran sat up from the bed. His felt woozy a bit. But other than that his body felt fine he actually felt with more energy.

""You don''t remember?"" Meilin said waking up from the chair.

""I''m asking aren''t I?""

""I don''t know you started acting weird. She lowered her shirt a bit showing him the nail marks in her skin. ""Your eyes turned a violent gray. You were trying to breath like you were suffocating. I was scared, I really was. I called Sakura and Darius and he''s gonna find out what was wrong.""

For as much Syaoran tried to remember he couldn''t. And this worried him so, what if he hurt her again next time? "" But oddly I feel with a lot of energy ready to burn it up.""

""I just don''t like this, Syaoran the fact that you don''t remember is bad enough. I''m going to bed. good night cousin.""

There was something he hadn''t told Meilin. His instincts had gotten sharper. He felt more agile. His senses were sharper as well. He stared up at the night sky from his balcony. He felt one with it. He was starving and something urged him. The wild animal inside of him had been released. The night was calling unto him receiving him with open arms, and together they disappeared.

""I found the result of his blood."" Darius stated.

""And?"" Sakura eagerly asked.

""His Dna is changing rapidly, extra links were added to it somehow I don''t know why. His DNA shows genetic information of an animal.""

""No wonder he''s been acting like an animal lately."" Meilin teased.

""Have not!"" Syaoran defended himself.

""Oh yeah what do you call eating the raw meat for breakfast this morning? Or the long run last night?""

""You can be a big blabber mouth sometimes..""he groaned.

""I''ve been thinking that this definitely a card."" Sakura felt the aura surrounding him.

""You know what, it was believed that there was a got in Egyoptian mythology named Aah. It was said he was a moon god drawing his power from the moon. He was able to change into animals. Anthropomorphic so to speak."" Darius looked at Syaoran directly in the eye. ""You have powers from the moon which probably drew the card to you. And guess what the most common animal that obeys the moon is?""

""A wolf."" Syaoran slowly spoke in disbelief.

""Your gonna have to be watched 24/7. I''m assuming you can''t remember anything. When you change fully you might cause more harm."" This time turning to Sakura Darius drew her hand to his. ""We''ll Syaoran seems well so I guess I''ll be taking you to the dance."" he said it so loudly for Syaoran to hear. Sakura blushing took her hand back.

""Sakura won''t be going anywhere with you."" Syaoran growled.

""She gave me her word."" Darius argued.

"" I don''t care you drew blood from me!""

""That doesn''t count, I was getting a blood sample!""

""You know you did it on purpose.""

""Did not!""

""Guys, guys how about if you choose the hand with the red dice, you get to go with Sakura."" Tomoyo butted in.

Meilin and Sakura surrounded Tomoyo suspiciously. ""Where''d you come from Tomoyo -chan?""

""Hehe. I have my ways. So are you guys up to it?""

Syaoran picked the right hand, And Darius the left.

""Ho ho. Syaoran won.""

""But I did give Darius my word."" Sakura whined trying to avoid the fact Syaoran got a date with her, well kinda.

""It''s okay Sakura. He won after all.""

""I''ll make it up to you somehow."" Sakura promised.

I still can''t believe I''m going to the dance with Syaoran."" Sakura squealed.

Tomoyo sneakily giggled. She was the one who put two red diced in her hands. Either way Syaoran would have one. Of course seeing Syaoran burst into anger would have been exciting. But she thought he deserved her for a while. Even though she knew Darius would never do anything to Sakura to hurt her.

""What are you giggling about Tomoyo-chan?"" Sakura stood up looking at herself in the mirror. She was glad Tomoyo didn''t make her a frilly outfit with hearts or anything. Just a plain red blouse matching with a loose silky scarlet red skirt.

Tomoyo stopped giggling, didn''t want to raise any suspicions. ""Nothing. Just that you look so cute. I should record this my Sakura-chan''s first date.""

""Where''s kero?""

Once more Tomoyo giggled. ""He''s sleeping. Think he ate too much chocolate.""

""Hmph, as long as he doesn''t eat anymore. I ''m serious it''s like he''s getting fatter.""

""You sound like Syaoran"" Tomoyo pointed out.

Sakura started blushing. She felt his aura closed by. ""I should go downstairs don''t want Toya to suspect anything.""

""Right""

As soon as Sakura walked out her door. A hand had reached out to her holding a rose out to her. Her heart started to beat faster almost wanting to faint at that very instant. ""You look very beautiful. The sunset can''t even compete with that."" Was she hearing correctly? Or was she still asleep? ""Um thank you."" He offered her his arm and Sakura awkwardly accepted it. It felt so warm even though it was cold outside. Silence fell upon them even though they had plenty to say to each other inside.

Arriving at the dance Sakura disappeared into the crowd as the girls kidnaped her interrogating her of how she had gotten with dream Syaoran. Who every girl by the way wanted a date with.

Syaoran stood by waiting for Sakura to come back. ""Sorry, I was kind of kidnaped back there.""

""I''ll forgive you if you have a dance with me."" Syaoran played around. Just when Sakura was about to answer Darius came behind them. ""Hey Sakura would you want to dance? I know, I know Syaoran she''s you date, at least let her make it up to me, don''t need to remind you she was my date first.""

""No, you don''t need to remind me."" Syaoran glared.

Darius pulled Sakura into the dance floor. Swaying back and forth becoming one with the music. She lost track of time. Her eyes not looking at anything in particular until they were fixed on something. It was night already and the pale moon way high up. But not just any phase of the moon. But full moon. She started panicking. Where was Syaoran? She looked around searching for him he was gone. She went in such for Syaoran without a word.

Sakura searched everywhere in the school. Obviously he would want to be outside where the wild is. As much as she hated going into the woods at this time of the night she forced herself inside. ""Syaoran!"" she yelled out. He was no where. She turned around and there he was. A menacing wolf. Growling at her. The wolf was huge, black as the night itself. His razor sharp teeth ready to strike her. His piercing yellow eyes shooting right at her. Without thinking she called unto her staff quickly, trying to use a card to defend her and not harm Syaoran. But just like it had happened before near the candy store, her magic didn''t work. Like if some magic barrier protected him. Now was the part she started panicking. She didn''t want to hurt Syaoran she knew she would regret it. So there was nothing else to do but run as far as she could. The wolf right behind her heels. Up to a point where he caught up to her knocking her down. Ready to bite her, ready to taste that delicious meat of hers. Quickly she grabbed a branch on the dirt sticking it in his mouth before chewing her up. Sakura tried standing up before the menace pushed her down again scratching her this time.

This was it, she thought. She''d never see the light of day again. But nothing happened. The moon was covered by thunder clouds. It started pouring. Syaoran''s form started reappearing again. Sakura tried reaching for him. But he slapped her hand away. He was behaving the same way when she tried helping him before. He started grabbing his chest finding hard to breath. His eyes turned those shiny gray. Her magic still wouldn''t work on him. There she laid. The Card Mistress against a tree. Soaking wet. Her hair messy. Sweaty of running. Her nice outfit wet sticking to her skin. Trying to catch her breath thinking of what to do. Syaoran shook harder. This time he was crying of the pain inside.

Be strong for the final battle between you and yourself is near. Kyoto''s word echoed in Syaoran''s head. Is this what she had meant? A struggle inside of himself. He had to break himself free. Through his clouded mind he could feel and see Sakura a bit. He tried to reach out to her. He needed to be strong. Even though he was scared for the first time in his life. sakura was his strength he realized. Sakura couldn''t wait any longer there had to be something done. She closed her eyes. And took Syaoran''s hand into hers. She wasn''t even thinking her feelings, overcame her. Gently she came closer to Syaoran and pressed her lips against his. They felt soft like when you eating melting ice cream on a warms summer's day. It felt so comfortable being there. It just happened without her really thinking. Syaoran stopped shaking putting his arms around her. Sakura pulled away. Trying to wipe her tears that had come out of desperation. She looked up at him and saw his amber eyes. She relaxed finally glad that he was back to normal. She knew it wasn''t over she could still feel the dark aura inside of him. The chain with the medallion were on her purse now that she remembered. She took it out. Her magic couldn''t help Syaoran but she was hoping this would. She concentrated hard pouring a bit of her magic into the medallion. Syaoran looked baffled. ""My magic couldn''t work on you, but I hope this does. It''s enchanted so you won''t have to ever fully change ever again as long as you''re wearing this."" Now she was glad she had sacrificed her card for it. She placed it on him. ""Oh, but I never knew what the symbol meant."" Sakura disappointingly pointed out. Syaoran grinned. ""It means strength. And you Sakura are my strength. Happy Valentine''s Day Sakura. " They both laughed. Not mentioning what the pure moment they had shared a while ago.

Sakura and Syaoran hadn''t spoken of what had happened the other day. Sakura happily walked through the streets a bit sad she didn't capture the card but happy she was able to keep it away from Syaoran. Passing through a café she saw Jeska. She went inside to greet her. ""Hey!"" she waved. ""Oh hi"" she managed to say.

""Why so lonely?"" Sakura curiously asked.

""Just need to think some things over. But if you don't mind would you like to talk?"" She said trying to keep herself from her tormented mind.

""Yeah sure. By the way you never really told me why you came I''d really want to know."" Sakura innocently suggested.

Jeska laughed a bit. The way Sakura was so innocent. She liked that. ""It's a long story.""

Sakura started pushing it a little now. "Don't worry I have all day to hear it."


	7. Jeska's story

Chapter 7

Jeska's Story

When everything seems to be wrong. And there's no where to go. The reason to life is something you look for. But everyone has a reason. Just that it doesn't show. Giving up is not a choice. So don't give up hope. So your stuck in between? The living know struggle, the dead know peace. I'm staying in the middle against my will. In the edge of the mouth that the living nor dead know. I'm just staying right in between.

Back in Taiwan there was a competition held each year. A competition where clans fought to see who was better. A battle for the strongest. To test their strength. An entertainment every commoner looked toward to. I had not known that day would be the one last time I saw what was left of my family. There laying defenseless, there was only one thing I did think about. Your life. My opponent stood over me mocking me lay on the floor hurt. The blood was clearly pumping out of my head. As if a bunch of meteorites had exploded in my head. The roaring crowd flowing into my mind. Never had I lost a battle no matter how badly injured I was. I had to win or be disbanded from the clan. Not to mention the clan was my family. Honor was the main priority to our clan. Unlike other ones that cheated, stole, lied. It wasn't easy being in a clan. All your life battling for a selfish reason.

The reason to live was something I sought and hadn't found it. You see there was a secret kept from me. Everyone knew except me. It was the purpose of my existence. And it was clearly warned to me not to throw my life away it was thought that my purpose was soon to come pass. A thirteen year old girl competing in a tournament where one always had something to lose. I used my sword against my opponent pushing him down. There was only to ways you could win. Either you killed your rival or you disabled him from going to battle ever again in his life. I never killed them. I couldn't kill them it was too much. I promised my father before he passed away that I would never take a person's life. I planned to keep the promise but I did take away their dignity. Didn't think that a thirteen year old should bare the deaths of older men. So I left my opponent's wrist damaged and that was the end of the game.

"I'm so proud, once more our clan has the honor of this year's competition" My mother had said. I stayed quiet the anger boiling inside. My mother turned to me this time. "You should have killed him. You not killing your opponents is showing your weakness." She insisted, "your rivals will use this against you!"

"Don't care."

"Jeska! I'm your mother."

"Since when? Tell me since when have you been my mother?"

She stayed quiet. Her face hardened and walked off. She didn't understand and the words I had said had hurt her. Even if she hadn't said anything I knew that it had. That night everything had changed. It hadn't crossed my mind that it would be that last words I told my mother Oping as I was headed home. I opened the door, stepping inside. There on the floor bathed in blood were the bodies of my aunts and uncles. All family, servants, cousins, friends. The smell was repulsive. I kept moving without noticing until there were three men in front of me with long dusky purple cloaks. They had my mother, their arms around her neck. "Where is the girl, the Vigora?" One of them demanded.

"I'd prefer death over betrayal."

"So be it women."

I gasped seeing the man about to slit her throat but my gasp had blown my spot and immediately I was taken. "Let go! You freaking bastard!"

The last thing I remember was looking my mother's way. She stared at me with such penetrating eyes. Her face was covered with a cloak and then I was knocked out. Even in my subconscious a strong amount of guilt had struck me. Till this day I don't know if she's alive.

When I awoke I couldn't see. I had been blindfolded. Once more I had smelt something undignifying. I was afraid to know where I was or should I say who I was with.

"So where is it?" A manly passive voice whispered.

"Where's my mother?" I innocently responded. I didn't want to infuriate him with my hands and feet tied.

"Your not in a good position to play games. Where is the Vigora?" He patiently asked.

" I don't know what your talking about"

"Right you are. Your mind has no record of knowing what Vigora is. Hmm the Himura were clever not telling you anything."

Another voice echoed. A women this time. " Can't we just kill her?"

"No if she dies it dies along with her."

Maybe I could be spared, I thought but I didn't think they just wanted to trick me in escaping. Somehow I felt like the man was smiling. He untied my blindfold from me and cut the rope tying me. "I'd think your mind would cease to be confused if your eyes were opened. I squinted my eyes hard. Refusing to open them. Somehow I felt like I already knew where I was. I finally gave up and opened my eyes. Next to me were my relatives. Their bodies giving off an acidic smell, a suffocating sticky air to my atmosphere. I put myself together from looking down. The door was left open and though I knew they did it on purpose I ran out. I couldn't take the smell anymore.

My bare feet felt water underneath. I was in an underground tunnel. Water kept dripping through out the tunnel I didn't see anyone but I heard the same voices again. I hid myself hoping they wouldn't notice I was right in front of their noses.

"Master are you sure we should have let the Vigora out like that?"

"Don't worry, she'll be back." The patient man answered.

"Your right master you know everything, you can read the deepest secrets minds of anyone." The women snickered.

"But if she were here right now I'd tell her to run, she has no time to spare."

I took this as a warning. If what the women was true then he knew I was there. So I ran. Darn I ran like the devil was at the edge of my heels. I found a way to escape which I can't even remember everything passed so quickly I couldn't cry even though I tried sometimes. There was a horrible gut feeling inside of me, making it hard to cry. Countless nights I couldn't scream replaying the accounts over and over again. Wondering where it all went wrong. . I went back to my house grabbed my sword and walked barefoot back to Japan. In Japan, was where my grandfather Noshiji lived. He was a man of great strength. The man of answers. Basically the Himura fled from Japan to Taiwan though I was born in Taiwan.

Tired as I was my grandfather, my Sensie opened before I got a chance to ask for him. He threw a punch at me as soon as he spotted me. I lazily blocked, the only energy that was left of me was that kept me going. Hate. "Lesson one. Don't let your anger be your source of power. But love."

"But..."

"The person who did this was Ammut. The Egyptians wrote IT down as the women who reigned the underworld. An underworld goddess. It really doesn't have a gender just spirit that doesn't have a shape or body of its own that's why it's always taking someone else's body figure. It feeds on people's anger. If your strength comes from your anger you will have no strength at all."

Thinking that he would train me physically I immediately got prepared. But no he didn't do that. He took me outside to shovel snow, walk dogs, paint the dojo, do laundry by hand, take care of his plants and sing to them. Some how, it was amazing how I let go of all the hatred that had pulled me for so long. I couldn't help thinking of nature's gift of life. No longer did I hold on to my sword with anger or fear but I hold on to it so gracefully and lightly that I barely felt my grip on it. Yet somehow when I fought it never fell.

Then came the hard part. My magic. My bloodline is controlled under the power of the moon. The Himura were the only ones who could wield elemental power into the stones I carry around. Problem was I didn't have control over them.

"Lesson two. Let your body and spirit be one with the elements."

And so it was as if the stones had reacted inside of me. My lessons continued until finally I got a chance to battle against my Sensie. It was more of a dance between two swans on the surface of a river, in rhythm with the window as we made swirls around us. It was breath taking.

Funny how I was defeated for the first time nevertheless I did not argue I felt so human for the first time. To know that you can make mistakes and always try harder. I think that's the beauty of humanity, to know that you can always be a better person that you always have a reason to say sorry and be forgiven. I've always been to conceited that I never had lost. The proudness did me wrong because I felt so empty and alone. Always keeping to myself. My heart is filled with so much compassion even though it hurts now to have such love and not be able to share it with my mother. I felt like the devil himself. Selfish. Even though I didn't kill all those men in battle I abused the power to hurt them and deprived them from their lives.

"Final Lesson. Mans first priority is to know himself." I stood baffled. "It's time to reveal the truth that has been kept from you. You are the Vigora, Jeska. This is why your family has been slaughtered to destroy the Vigora. Which is the energy that flows in your veins. Haven't you ever wondered what that substance was when you bled? Ammut has been around for thousands of years somehow you have the only power to destroy it inside of you. Only that you can't use it. You can only make it stronger. You have to learn how to materialize it so the Card Mistress can use it. The time of your redemption has come . You must find the Card Mistress and give her the Vigora then will your soul be at peace. My child life isn't the end of confusion but the beginning of illumination. The beauty of being human is that you can seek forgiveness and earn it."

Alex: Well here's the truth of the story. Basically now you know it's not really Clow Reed who took the cards but guess who? The one who can transform into other people...hint hint Well don't know how long it will be till I update since I don't know how much time I got to write so the chapters will be shorter. I don't know if that's good or bad. Should I continue this fanfic:( I don't know if I should. Thanks to all that have reviewed so far!


	8. The Lie

Chapter 8 The Lie 

"That is why you see me here to fulfill the purpose of my existence" Jeska tied her hair back letting a few strands cover her left eye. "Wow, it must have been hard. I never knew. So many people die of the evil in others. I promise I'll help you find your mother." Sakura assured her.

"Thanks but don't have pity for me, it's been two years and most hope may be lost"  
The girl took a knife from her pocket making sure no one else in the caf‚ was looking. Placed it on the side of her arm and cut lightly yet hard enough for a squint if blood to come out. Some strange substance appeared to flow on top of Jeska's blood.

"Is that..Is that..." Sakura stuttered.

"The vigora. My body seems to produce it somehow." Both girls watched the substance flow unto the air. As if it were dancing. It was clear as the water but light like the clouds. In a second it disintegrated into the air. "It disappears into the air once its out. Do you see now? Im here to give you the Vigora you need to know how to materialize it, to turn it into a power that won't disintegrate. I need your help as much as you need mine." Already it was late. Had it really taken that long? Arriving home she thought of ways to know how to use the Vigora. "Little girl where have you been?" A voice came above her. She looked up to spot Touya infront of her. Was he really that much taller than her? "You have better not have been with than chinese brat friend of yours."

"No I was at a caf‚ with a friend."

"So you weren't with the chino brat?"

"What are you talking about" Sakura stammered, her voice raising a bit.

"See how he makes you react, you look uglier when you blush."

Yukito patted Sakura on the back. When had he arrived? "Touya's just mad because Is back in Tomoeda. "Wait then doesn't that mean that.."

"Eriol is back?" Tomoyo squealed during lunch. She wasn't the only one who knew and was excited about it. Much of the gossip exploded in the cafeteria was mostly about many girls having Eriol in their class. A transfer student from England, gorgeous hair and mysterious eyes.  
Of course this would cause commotion between the girls.

"Why did he even bother coming now? That four eyed creep." A certain lee member complained.

"The same reason you're here." Said Meilin.

Everyone in the table laughed including a certain Darius who also seemed displeased with Eriol's sudden appearance. Meilin's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. "So how did Sakura-chan's date go with my cousin?"

"W-what? Nothing happened. I just kind of transformed and it wasn't really a date I just asked her as a friend. Sort of." he mumbled the last part.

"He is telling the truth. I caught it all on tape." Tomoyo proudly showed off. "Want to see it Darius-kun?"

"You were spying on us?"All of a sudden a thought came to him, if she recorded everything then she recorded..."Give me that!" He demanded as he accidently spilled juice on Meilin.

"Not quite Syaoran, I could sell this on the internet...unless you pay to not show anyone."

"You drive a hard bargain, Tomoyo-san" Eriol came behind Syaoran. "And Syaoran, aggressive as usual." He turned now to Sakura, this time his eyes widened a bit. "Wow Sakura you are really the most beautiful Card Mistress in the world. You've quite grown."

Both Syaoran and Darius gave Eriol nasty looks. "So it's true that your back." Syaoran growled his wolf side becoming noticeable. "I though her mistress needed assistance."

"She has enough to assist her." Syaoran argued, "go back to where you belong."

Eriol looked at him coldly. "You haven't been much help, if I'm correct you yourself hurt her numerous of times."

"And you wouldn't be much help either knowing that she beat you." he rose up this time ready to start a fight. Everyone in the cafeteria turned around to look. Syaoran sat back down for everyone to mind their business. " I see I cause tension between a few characters. I'll be on my way." Eriol properly stated.  
"No Eriol," Sakura insisted. "Please stay."

Eriol only smiled. He passed by the rest and bend over for his breath to tickle Sakura's cheek. "I came Sakura just because there will be a certain point where things are going to get hard for you.  
I think I will be some help for you. I might as well try to train a bit while I'm at it." he whispered in her ear and walked away not looking at the glares both Darius and Syaoran were giving him.

"He makes me sick." both Syaoran and Darius blurted out.  
"Nice to know they agree on something." Meilin commented followed by a few laughs.

"Did you hear? Kinomoto and Syaoran totally hit it of after the party." A girl gossiped.

"What? Kinomoto is such a hooker. I think she's also done it with Toshiwa."

"No way. But I heard Syaoran said it was a lousy lay anyway."Another one snooped in.

Sakura heard them clearly gossip near their lockers. How could Syaoran do that to her? Why would he say that they had been together to begin with. One of the girls was getting close to her,  
she stormed out running to her class. "Kinomoto!"

"WHAT!" She yelled back at her teacher. Wait a second...she bit her lip. Had she just screamed at a teacher?

"Excuse me? You've cheated of your test and come screaming in MY classroom?" The Sensie questioned.

"What test? I've never cheated on any test." Sakura stated.

"That is not what Sasaki-san declared this morning." The Sensie smartly snickered. "To detention Kinomoto."

Sakura roughly walked out the room slamming the door. She would never have cheated on a test and even if she did Rika would never tell on her. "Has this freaking school gone mad?" she madly blurted.

"No I just think it's you."Syaoran tantalized from behind. He had a huge smirk on his face.  
"Your pathetic sometimes."

"Shut up you baka." she furiously pushed him. " I can't believe you were capable of telling all those girls that we..."she stopped.

"That we what?" he raised a brow.

"Nothing" she tried avoiding his stare by trying to get pass him. He hold her arm firmly. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb you told those girls that you've used me. That you've messed with me as if I were someone to easily sleep with." she slowly threw the words at his face.

"Oh my go...Sakura..." his eyes softly stared at her. He slowly bent down and kissed her forehead. "Your so naive sometimes. Don't you know that they're jealous of you?" he sighed.  
His forehead leaning against hers.

"Why would they be jealous of me?" she asked, her heart beating really fast. Feeling his breath on her cheek.

"Because they probably suspect that I'm...that I'm in lo.." he couldn't continue.

Flash Back of yesterday

The phone was ringing loudly in the middle of the night. "Meilin!" Syaoran yelled.

"What!" she shouted back from her room.

"Get the phone!"

"No you get it." she shut the door and said nothing more.

"Argh why did this girl come live with me if she can't even get a phone. Ugh I need a cell." he mumbled half asleep. He tripped into the living room. "Hello." he angrily answered.

"Bad time Li-san?" His uncle responded.

Syaoran mentally slapped himself hard. "No. Not at all."

"I hoped not." his uncle said without a hint of emotion in his voice. "Just wanted to check that everything was okay. How is the card capturing going?"

" It's going steady. Won't be another year or so for all of them to be captured."

"Well I have good news Syaoran. The clan was discussing your abilities. And of course your duty now as aiding the Card Mistress and our society from the dangers of the cards. We came to agree that when everything is done and you return to Hong Kong, you'll be appointed as the new Li clan leader. Your mother is looking towards to your return. And so is Lu-san." Syaoran choked at the last name.

"Lu-san? I thought she was getting married to someone else." Syaoran stiffly tried not to spit the words out.

"Well Li-san it seems not to have worked with Kwang-sama. This marriage is a very important alliance and extremely beneficial to our clan. You seemed a bit surprised. I did warn you of falling in love with the Card Mistress. It surely better not be the case." His temper rising a bit.

"No I fully understand. And that's not the case I'm just a bit asleep. I am not in love with her Mistress." he said, convincing himself that it was true.

End of Flash Back

"That your what?"Sakura interrupted his memory.

"Nothing Card Mistress. They just have nothing else to talk about. But to get it clear, I have nothing against you. You're a friend. But I'm also not in love with you. No mater what everyone else says I hope we understand that well." His chest ached, his throat tightening up a bit.  
Sakura pulled away her heart completely stop beating faster it seemed to have stopped. "Don't worry that's not new to me Li-san." She perhaps would have said more but she felt an aura nearby. Something else was in the school.

"A card." Darius pointed out almost reading her mind. He had spotted them in the hallway.

"Right." She agreed while she went to follow it.

Darius stayed behind with Syaoran speaking low enough for him to hear. "Your in love with her aren't you?"

"What's it matter to you?"he tried avoiding the question.

"I know how your clan works Li. Sakura brings no political power. Knowing that you and her are tied by friendship they have magical assistance in their favor but to the real world Sakura would be no use for them." He grinned a very obnoxious smile to Syaoran. "They asked you not to love her didn't they?"

"Shut up. I don't love her. Were only...and will only be friends." he said those words almost in disbelief. He didn't, he couldn't, he only deeply cared about her. Or so he'd like to think. After all they have been through he considered her a friend that's all they could be.

Darius grinned heartily. Couldn't help himself feel so happy of the words Syaoran had just said. "But you know that's not the only reason they didn't want you to like her. They know some art of reading the future. Maybe your future isn't with her."

"Whatever. We should be helping her out." Taking his book bag Syaoran fixed his tie and followed Sakura to where her instincts told her.

Sakura reached the under construction bathroom. She peeked inside to find a shattered mirror. An immense power was coming out of it. Some one poked her as she came in. She quickly shook behind her. Eriol's eyes met hers. "Eriol-kun" she gasped. "I'm sorry I didn't think you were here."

"Caught you off guard I'm sorry." He pointed at the shatter mirror. "The card is called The Liar it likes twisting truths."

Sakura looked at the shattered mirror. A card was definitely hidden behind the mirror. She tried looking if there was anything behind. Fragments of someone kept showing up. Red eyes, short,  
black hair. A snake slid out. Its fangs pierced through her sensitive skin.

"Sakura!" Syaoran and Darius shouted trying to catch her as she fainted.

Unconscious but awake inside of herself. Sakura knew where she was. The same place Kyoto had taken her. The world behind the mirror her inner self. The fat, smooth looking snake that had bit her crawled from her legs to a women hidden in the shadows. Her eyes, pitch red clearly a threat. Short hair, sharp face. She sinisterly laughed coming out of the dark. The snake crawled up to her, caressing her body. The snake rested around the women's shoulder. It spoke. "Card Missssssthressss wee've been expectiing yooousthh."

"Okay..."Sakura freaked out calling out her staff.

"You won't need that. This is a battle of minds not of power. Let's see how much reasoning you really have." The lady spoke. Her voice very sly and mocking.

Sakura gripped her staff. "Alright try me."

"You stheeee. Thou aresth a ssssssainthsss." the snake explained, "No evil inssthhide you."

"But Card Mistress, what about the evil of others trying to hurt you?" insinuated the Lie.

"Such as yourself?" Sakura snapped.

"No, no our dear cherry blossom we only tell the truth. As when you have heard, 'The truth hurts'. And if I were you I would watch that temper. You wouldn't want that venom in you to disperse would you?"

"How did you know that?" asked Sakura.

"Dear child we know everything. Just like we know your feeling about little wolf."

"What does any of that have to do with this?"

"Can you really trust Syaoran? Did you know that he's only using you. After four years he appears now? Him the chosen one from the beginning. The chosen one of the clan to be Clow Master, failed. Don't you think he had a grudge against you the whole time?"

"No that can't be true he helped me out when I had to face Eriol." she said mostly to herself trying not to give in.

"Really? He had failed his first mission he needed to make up for it. Good way to recuperate don't you think?" The Lie suggested. Moving around her very slowly.

"That can't be true. He couldn't have pretended."

"He was such a disappointment to the clan for being a fraud, for being beaten by a mere girl who had no training or magical knowledge. So of course he would have a grudge against you don't you think? Well after that he went back to Hong Kong. Would have been banished from the clan, his family. But his mother gave him another chance, a chance to train and become leader of the clan. And he can't become leader without an assistant and alliance.A wife..."

"Stop I heard enough. I don't care. That concerns him not me. If he pretended to be my friend it's okay because he was still of a help. But I trust him he wouldn't do harm to me." The cherry blossom avoided to hear more.

"But he already has harm you hasn't he? He's said he doesn't love you. And as soon as this all finished he'll leave you and go back home to become leader. Isn't that what he's always wanted to have pride in being leader of his clan. He'll give his back to you."

"But he's always come back."

"Listen to yourself. Your living a lie . Eventually he will have to go. He'll fall in love with someone else, he'll abandon you, leave you unprotected, despise you and unappreciated you. He'll leave you rot, leave you cry every night leaving you without any sleep and when you'll try to reach for him he'll slap your hand away and walk the other way."

Sakura stayed silent. She knew he was capable of it but would he really do that. There wouldn't really be a reason for him to help her and stay by her side. As he had said he did not love her.  
Unless friendship was strong enough to keep them together. He was her weakness, at any moment she could fall because of him.

"Do youu seeeethh now? Thou hassstth beeen lying tooo yourselthhh." the snake stated as a matter-a-factly.

"Well till you make up your mind my darling, I'll be around the gossip of your school." The lie sinisterly laughed and disappeared. In fact everything did. She blinked and found both Syaoran and Darius faces in front of her. "Sakura!" Darius called to her. He pulled her up from Syaoran's arms and embraced her tightly. "You had us all worried." he whispered in her ear.

"No need to be worried." she smiled.

"Did you capture the card?" Syaoran interrupted.

"Can't not yet. I must be certain of some things first."

"Like what?" Syaoran asked impatiently. Still seeing her in Darius's arms.

"Like whether she can trust you or not. Li-san" Eriol answered. "What! That's stupid of course she can trust me. She knows she has to hurry and capture all of them before something worst happens."

"Really? Can I trust you. Or do you want me to finish the card capturing so you can return home with the title of clan leader?" Sakura snapped at him. Still being hold by Darius.

Syaoran stayed shut a bit confused. How did she find out?

"Stop using me Syaoran!" she yelled at him. Almost bursting into tears. She left the bathroom smashing the under construction sign. Heading to class she met Meilin. "You tramp, how could you smooch my cousin and be all over Darius too. I thought you were different Sakura."

"Huh? Meilin what are you.."

"Don't talk to me okay?" she bellowed.

What had just happened here? So now she was a tramp? "Don't pay attention to her Sakura. The lie influences those without magical abilities." Jeska patted her shoulder.

"Haven't seen you in a while." Sakura a bit more cheered up hugged her friend.

Jeska laughed nervously. "Yeah... I've only been around you know, so why didn't you capture the Lie if you don't mind me asking."

"No it's alright," Sakura pulled her hair back. "News travels fast doesn't it?"

"You mean Darius's mouth talks fast." Jeska joked.

Sakura giggled. "The thing is...I don't know if the card is telling the truth or lying about Syaoran."

"Why don't you ask him?" Jeska suggested. "Actually, accept what she says."

"What?" Sakura asked baffled.

"Do it. Trust me I'm the Vigora." Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with anything."

"Nothing really, I just thought it was cool to say it." She laughed.

Sakura stared at her for a while. Then sweat dropped. "And if it doesn't work?"

"It will, and when it does you'll let me cheat on your test."

"Okay deal." Sakura agreed laughing. Funny how they can joke about something so seriously.

Walking Jeska to her class Sakura headed towards her own. When her English Sensie stopped her. "Kinomoto-san."

"Yes Sensie?" she replied.

"I know how your always auditioning for school plays, and the tryouts for the annual school play is starting. I thought you might be interested." She explained as she handed her a script.

"What about the rest of your students? Sakura asked, accepting the script without looking at it.

"Only my best recommended students get to audition."

"Oh. Well arigato Sensie for this opportunity." She bowed.

"Always a pleasure Kinomoto."

Sakura put the script away in her bag. She would look at it later. A squeal came out from the bag.  
Sakura gasped but then realized who it was. "Kero-chan, what are you doing here?"

"Watching out for you. I am your guardian after all." Kero slyly said

"Liar. You only appear when there's food, especially candy." Sakura pinched his cheeks as hard as her fingers permitted. Her eyes looking at him in a serious way, then again the wrath of Sakura was never a big one.

"Alright, I admit it the Chinese boyfriend of yours said he'll give me a barrage of candy if I was on the look out for you." Kero avoided her eyes. Weird how he actually listened to what Li would ask him. There was nothing that would stop Kero from getting candy.

She blinked a couple of times until everything processed in her head. "You agreed with this"  
Her classmates turned to stare at her thus consequence of her shout. The Card Mistress looked up to meet the faces of the rest. Scratching her head she laughed nervously.

"Kinomoto-san you object of me agreeing against the foolish idea of an existing superior force,  
of magic?" Kana-sama challenged.

"Of course I object. I mean how do you know there isn't some hidden magical force. I mean isn't there a bit of magic in all of us. Isn't that how miracles happen? Or don't you believe in having faith, having hope for the better. If there is no evidence that there is, then it also means that it can be there?" What seemed a lame comeback actually proved a point.

"Interesting Kinomoto why don't you write and essay for tomorrow and read your opinions to the class?" Kana-sama went to her desk placing a homework assignment. "Maybe I should invite the director of our school.

"Hoeee...great..."  
"Sakura-chan!"Tomoyo called out, her eyes dreamy as she approached. Sakura's anger seemed to have disappeared with Tomoyo's face. "What's in the bag you seem to be agitated."

"What makes you say that?" Sakura hid her bag behind her.

"You were hitting it against you legs a while ago." Tomoyo's eyes cast down to Sakura's bag suspiciously.

"Heh, he no no it's just that I have so many papers in here that I want to flatten out. It also relieves stress." Sakura started hitting her book bag again.

"Oo let me try!" Tomoyo went after the bag excitedly. "Help me!" a squeal came from inside.  
"Did I just hear something?"

"Noooo. My dear Tomoyo, did you have enough sleep last night? You must be hearing things"  
She chuckled sheepishly.

Hurrying into the room, she sought Syaoran playing the piano, his fingers pressing the keys like a waterfall of emotions. Such an intense song he was playing and yet his face remained impassive. Sakura passed right by him brushing his shoulders. He made believe that he hadn't felt her aura. "There is a surprise to look forward. A play is a due and we shall be playing a concert piece"

The Sensie put up the music sheet for everyone to see. "This is such a huge event of this year that I wanted to show off my best class. Such talent" She referred to Tomoyo. "The play includes a musical which I have only picked out a number of you."

She leaned against Sakura. "Your English Sensie tells me she has recommended you for the leading role as well as Syaoran"  
Sakura nodded. Without really knowing what role her teacher had given her.

"Well then if that is you know you'll have to sing."

"But I can't sing."

"Are you sure. Why don't you go practice with Li-san"

" Oh that's just great"Sakura murmured.

"What are you so mad about?" Syaoran asked trying to keep his eyes in the notes.

"Don't play victim with me. You bribed Kero-chan"  
"What was I suppose to do? You wouldn't let me help you. If I can' help you at least I can have someone else do it"

"Your not doing it for me, but for yourself. You and your dumb duty to your clan."

"They're still family"

Sakura looked away. All of a sudden her heart started aching. It was burning. The poison was consuming her, spreading in her. She tried to not show any hint of the pain she was in. For Syaoran still didn't know of the death that was upon her. Her vision was blurring, colors fusing.

"Weren't you the one who taught me how to love and to trust? To give chances and smile. Sakura your changing what is wrong with you?"

"I'm.." She grasped her hands. It was all the anger that was developing inside. It was that, that was making her change. "May I be excused."

She walked through the hallways knowing that she wouldn't make it far. Her body fell in the floor. Her mind shut. Aura decreased.

Once more she found herself in the void which she always seemed to arrive at. "Okay now it's time for you to get captured. Im getting nauseous of being here"  
"Nah ah"  
The poisonous creature slid around Sakura "If you capture me Cherry Blossom you'll suffer a moral and you know it. Is this really worth a risk." The snake left Sakura alone now spining in circles on the unseen floor. Out came Syaoran. 'That's not him. That's an illusion"  
"Is it really. You surprise me. Can't you sense his aura. Can't you sense it like a drug."

"Stop it." Syaoran ordered.

"NO. The all powerful Mistress has a weakness. She trusts to easily. For example you my Little Wolf. He's only using you to be leader. Why would he come back now? After all these years."

"This is about him." Sakura argued, "it's about the rest of the people"

The Lie mocked her. " The rest of the people? People worst then him. These people deserve to die they deserve to rot and be eliminated by their own errors. You really want to risk your life for them?"

"It's not up to you to decide that." Syaoran fought.

"No? Tell me Syoran, have you told your friend here about your Uncle's phone call last night?  
Hmm? You'll have to go back. And when you do you'll spent time with your fiancee. Cho Lu"

"But that's not going to happen now, I still have a long way before that happens."

"Oh but your missing my point. Not mattering the fact when it will happen the point is it will.  
And who will you hurt?" The women pointed at the girl. "You'll end up hurting her."

"I could care less who he has to marry. He could leave now. I can manage on my own." Sakura said trying to not get angry. But it was too late. A hole was created since they were inside of her and her feet fell inward.

"Grab my hand Sakura. I don't want you to die."

"Of course grab his hand so he can hurt you more and enjoy it."

"Stop listening to her you know I wouldn't. Even if I weren't becoming leader I'd still have come back for you. I care about you, shouldn't you know that now? As gullible as you are."

"I'm not guilli..gah!" Her hands were slipping. The sweat making it hard for her to stay up. Still she managed to pull herself up. He tried helping her but she pushed away.

"Do you believe me now?" The snake licked her ear. Trying to get inside of her. And it did. It was part of what she was trying to do. "Let me ease your mind."

"No let me ease yours. Spirits of the ancient world I Sakura you mistress command you, be sealed.  
Sakura card!" The card appeared in her hands. Some one else's hand appeared, Kyoto's. She twirled around both of them. "Thank you for taking that horrible hag from here. But unfortunately you know what happens now. Just be careful okay. Let Syaoran guide you. Let him be your eyes." Back in the hallway Syaoran was amazed. " Impressive, you captured her without using a card.  
Instead you tricked her trapping her inside your mind."

"Yeah that was the plan from the beginning. I do trust you by the way." She told him.  
"You mean to tell me that this whole time. You made me think that you distrusted me." His brows met together. And hit her lightly. "I can't believe you tricked me like that how could you."

"Lets just call it even of the number of times you used me." There clubs had started and they both needed to leave. Jeska was right she had accepted what the Lie had said. And when she did there she knew how wrong it felt and that it was not true. She went inside the locker room. Changing into her cheerleader uniform. Before she fully dressed she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Right on her chest near her heart she spotted a black mark. A deep ink like permanent stain spread it out in a form of a branch. She knew what it was. Maybe it wouldn't have been there is she hadn't been angry. Then she noticed her mother's reflection starring right back at her with the same mark. She blinked but when her eyes had reached the mirror her mother was gone. She finished dressing,  
searching for the exit. At that very moment something appeared. Something disfigured. Obscure,  
but eyes like pure light. "Alone Card Mistress? Where are your bodygaurds. Such a pretty like Blossom should not be alone at anytime."

"Who are you?"

"Hmmmm, I'd thought you would remember me." It pulled out a Sakura Card with his fingers.  
She remembered now. The figure she had traded with.

"Oh I remember. Why are you here?"

"Just to warn you, someone's life will decease. Be careful it is not yours. A powerful card approaches. A very diabolical one. Please be careful."

"Who's side are you on?"Suspiciously she asked.

"Your's. Just because I give chills down your spin does not mean I'm malice. I've been damned. This is my state of damnation. What I have to pay for my wrong doings"

"Damned. By who?"

"The council."

"Council of what."

'Little girl you ask too many questions." It regretted his words, "Sorry your mistress for my disrespect. But there is more I cannot explain of. The other side is scarier then you can imagine.  
Just think of what you need to do here. Don't let that substance inside of you end you." He retrieved himself back into the darkness. Not letting her question him any further.

Just outside of the locker room she bumped into a tall person. "Sakura-chan what's wrong? You seem as if you were faced with death." Darius checked her forehead.

She just smiled. "It's curious to know why it is always you who I run into."

"Maybe you have a stalker."

"Really! Don't scare me! Who is it?" She cluelessly demanded.

Ofcourse he just chuckled to himself. " Don't worry. Hey I'm trying out for the Soccer team mind dropping by later? Well I will after cheerleading practice. I promise."

The field was spacious. Maybe even bigger than Tomoeda High itself. There she spotted Darius himself out of the many shirtless guys competing against one another. It was no surprise that Syaoran was competing against Darius more like fighting. Their hair soaked, sweat slidding down their necks. But as soon as he had spotted Sakura he stopped to and ran to her. All she could notice was the perfect body he had. A body that only a professional sculptor could carve.

"Guess what I'm in"  
"Really that's great. umm..." Her faced turned a bright pink.  
"What..?" He followed her eyes trying to avoid his chest. "I'm sorry but Syaoran over there plays harrd...Ow!" A ball had just hit his head. It was obvious who threw it. "Accident!" Syaoran called out,  
"Boy I saw that aim you kicked at that kid and it was superb. Welcome to the team." The coach slapped Syaoran's back.  
"So you were aiming it at me!" Darius had Syaoran face ready to aim at him.  
Sakura only sighed. She was starting to get use to their savage behavior. She sat on the bench and took out her script. It was the perfect tine to have a look at it. " The Concealed Mistress." She read out loud in bold letters. Underneath were two names. Jeska Himura and Darius Toshiwa. So that where she had been all the time. No wonder she barely heard from her. She's been writing a play the whole time. She skimmed through the script. Sakura recognized sommething. Names. Amaya,  
Lusheye, Clow Reed. And the scenes the balcony scene of her and Mau. The death of Lusheye in the sunset. Why had they written them down?  
Syaoran couldn't help but notice an uneasy look in Sakura's face. "I was going to tell you about it,  
I guess it slipped." Sakura looked up trying to ease the confusion. As she looked up there was a greater turmoil. Her throat tightened. There was a look of terror in her eyes.

"Sakura what is it? Why do your eyes look void. Look at me! What's wrong?" he demanded.

"But I..." She paused trying to believe it herself, "I can't see."

A/n: Yes yes I know I havent posted since lets see uhhhh lost count. And after so long I enda chapter with a cliffhanger.Dont hurt me! I've been busy. And kinda lost my motivation. Well I'll be writing more often now. Im so sorryy. I thank all of the readers who have been reading my Fanfic so far. Thanks alot guys! I'll keep writing as long as you read.


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